Bronze Arabesque Incense Burner

Handcrafted by Uchishima Seifu, JP, c. 1890s.

A covered bronze incense burner densely worked in full-surface relief — arabesque scrollwork and a profusion of flowering forms covering the body and lid in the manner of a textile translated into metal. The lid is surmounted by a small bird finial; the whole sits on a separate hardwood stand. Cast using the lost-wax method, the piece is characteristic of the Meiji-period ambition to bring maximum technical elaboration to small-scale bronze objects. The dark, settled patina and the evenness of the relief suggest a work made for display in a formal interior — a tea room or study — rather than daily ceremonial use.

Sold individually.

Rare Vintage