A CLOISONNÉ ENAMEL 'LUDUAN' INCENSE BURNER AND COVERMid-Qing DynastyThe mythical beast depicted standing foursquare on powerful clawed feet, the body scales vividly enamelled in shades of blue and turquoise, the hinged and raised head with a ferocious expression with an open snarl exposing fangs and surmounted by a single horn.20.4cm (8in) high (2).Provenance: 清中期 掐絲琺瑯甪端香薰Incense burners in the form of these beasts were favoured by the court and important in the Imperial context to symbolise the emperor's intelligence and wisdom as a virtuous ruler with the mandate from heaven to rule. This is evident by the placement of cloisonné enamel luduan incense burners near the thrones in important Imperial halls in the Forbidden City, including the Hall of Supreme Harmony, 太和殿Taihedian.甪端為傳說中獨角獸，古代稱角端。《元史》卷一四六〈耶律楚材傳〉記載：「甲申，帝至東印度，駐鐵門關，有一角獸，形如鹿而馬尾，其色綠，作人言，謂侍衛者曰：『汝主宜早還。』帝以問楚材，對曰：『此瑞獸也其名'角端'，能言四方語，好生惡殺，此天降符以告陛下。陛下天之元子，天下之人，皆陛下之子，願承天心，以全民命。』帝即日班師。」到明清時代，甪端作為宮殿皇帝寶座兩側陳設，以增加威嚴氣氛。北京故宮太和殿、乾清宮、養心殿等多處均見甪端器物。