What is a Xuande furnace?

In fact, "Xuande stove" is a general term that is more appropriate. It does not only refer to the incense burner made during the Xuande period, but also refers to the copper stove with a similar shape.

This is actually easier to understand. For example, "Cloisonné" does not specifically refer to the enamelware made during the Jingtai period of the Dynasty, but is a general name for a unique craft artifact.

According to records, thousands of copper furnaces were cast in the third year of Xuande.

At that time, in addition to being used by the royal family, Xuanlu was also used to distribute to kings, ministers, altars in the suburbs of the capital, and even famous temples in various places.

It is so widely distributed that Xuande furnaces can be seen everywhere now, but those that were actually spread in an orderly manner have been lost with almost no trace.

Xuande stoves are famous all over the world for their beautiful shapes and fine texture.

Mao Bijiang's "Xuanlu Song" praised its skin color: "It's like a woman's skin, soft, delicate and pinchable".

This furnace was imitated during the Xuande Dynasty and continued to be imitated until the Republic of China and even today.

Mountains and rivers have changed for hundreds of years, and copper incense burners that were actually cast in the third year of Xuande are extremely rare.

Due to the existence of many imitations in the past dynasties, "Xuande furnace" later not only refers to the furnace manufactured in the third year of Xuande, but also became the collective name for Xuande-style copper furnaces.

Some of them are of excellent quality and are also rare antiques.

Judging from the old collections of the Qing Palace, most of the copper furnaces with the "Xuande" designation were cast after the mid-Ming Dynasty, but they still have high historical and artistic value in terms of age and craftsmanship.

Although it is not yet certain which piece is the "genuine Xuan" cast in the third year of Xuande, the Xuande furnace as a type of artifact among the old palace collections exists objectively and cannot be doubted.

So the debate over whether there is a Xuande furnace can end here.

The skin color refers to the color of the Xuande stove's appearance. According to the "Xuande Yi Ware Atlas", there are more than a dozen types, and later generations use this as an important criterion for identifying "true Xuan".

In fact, the so-called leather shell is mostly caused by post-processing. There are detailed records about the production of furnace color in Xiang Zijing's "Xuanlu Bolun" in the late Ming Dynasty.

The natural metal color produced by casting is very single.

Therefore, using skin color to identify "Zhenxuan" is actually putting the cart before the horse. Skin color is not innate and has nothing to do with the material of the casting or whether it is refined.

Collection of collections of leather color itself: {一三一〇}一淒一三〇〇四 is added later and will change color or take off with use.

Judging from the Xuande period artifacts in the old collection, due to frequent use over many years, the surfaces of the artifacts are often stained by smoke, the coating is too heavy, the color is gray, and the original skin color is gone.

Most of the Xuande incense burners later acquired or donated were from collectors and were more for appreciation than practical use. Their dazzling appearance formed a strong contrast with the old collections.

On the other hand, Xuande furnaces with Qing Dynasty markings in old collections, especially those with imperial dynasties from the Kangxi, Yongzheng and Qian dynasties, have basically no traces of use. The colors of the leather shells are brilliant, and you can see the style of the furnaces after they were made.

The Ming and Qing Dynasties were the peak stage of copper furnace production. Craftsmen accumulated exquisite skills during the long-term production process and formed a unique tradition that is unique in the history of Chinese arts and crafts.

The carefully smelted copper furnace has a simple and elegant shape, smooth lines of the furnace body, exquisite workmanship, soft color and delicate texture. Its collection value and historical value cannot be ignored.

Its unique cultural characteristics made the copper stove a typical artifact representing the culture at that time, with high artistic and collection value.

Xuande of the Ming Dynasty (Wu Bangzuo) This incense burner has a copper body, weight: 637g, total height: 7cm, diameter: 12.5cm.

The shape of the stove is plump and slightly flat, quite heavy. The rim is flat and the left and right ears are like bridges, so it is called the double-bridge-eared copper incense burner.

The sixteen-character calligraphy "made by Wu Bangzuo, an official in the ministry," has profound inscriptions, precise carvings, and strong strokes.

The whole shape has elegant lines, the texture is delicate, and the hand is solid.

The fetal pulp is mellow and moist, the color is dignified and deep, the texture is stable, the shape is exquisite, and the workmanship is fine.

The whole body is light and the shape of the vessel is simple and exquisite.

This instrument can be placed on the desk for practical use, or can be held in the hand for appreciation. It is of great collection value for collectors.