INCENSOR

Among the objects of ritual use used by the different beliefs in China, censers and bells are very frequent, whose origin is found in the ritual bronzes of the Shang (1765-1122 BC) and Zhou (1121-221 BC) dynasties. This censer is presented with a lid, made of bronze and with a decorative border in cloisonné enamel. Of proportionate forms, this piece is topped with a lid whose knob as well as the small handles and the three legs have acquired the shape of a lion. The decoration of both the lid and the shoulders of the piece is based on traditional motifs used on court objects, such as the waves, treated in a schematic way with concentric semicircles and the so-called “cloud necks”, coming from ceramic decoration. The decorative band made in enamel contrasts with the bronze due to its polychromy, as well as the use of archaic themes such as the animal mask or “taotie”, which runs in a schematic way throughout the piece. I.C.F. / Extracted from: Isabel CERVERA FERNÁNDEZ: Fundación Rodríguez-Acosta. Asian Art Collection. Granada, 2002.