Dehua Polychrome Porcelain Lotus Incense Holder

This lotus is unapologetically about color. Seven glazed flower tones sit above the same green lily pad, from crimson and imperial yellow to azure, lilac and celadon. A small central aperture holds one incense stick.

Unlike the softer three-color lotus and lily pad holder, this version uses a glossy surface and contrasting yellow stamens to make the bloom read from farther away. Smoke rises through the colored center, while the detachable leaf base gives the flower a stable visual ground.

Seven glazes let the compact flower either echo an interior palette or stand apart from it on a tea table, console or cabinet. Whatever the color, the lotus retains its familiar association with purity and renewal.

• Origin: Dehua, Fujian, China
• Material: Glazed porcelain
• Function: Holder for one stick of incense
• Colors: Crimson Red, Sunset Orange, Azure Blue, Lilac Purple, Blush Pink, Celadon Green or Imperial Yellow
• Dimensions: 10.5 x 10.5 x 5.5 cm / 4.1 x 4.1 x 2.2 in
• Included: One porcelain lotus and one green lily pad base