Chinese Lu or Incense Burner

A tapered block with a single bold character in blue, standing like a signpost.

This lu or incense burner in painted porcelain is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 19th century. Chinese porcelain is a fine, hard ceramic fired at high temperature, and painted decoration is applied by brush with colored enamels or pigments. The tall, four-sided piece narrows toward the top, with a small hole at the crown. One face carries a large hand-painted blue character inside a deep blue border. The white glaze is crazed, with chips at the base. It is 2.75 inches wide, 2.75 deep and 3.75 high.

Short on words, long on conviction.