Censer with cover
Unknown Artist
1750
Medium
Stoneware covered with flecked glaze (Bizen ware)
Dimensions
H. 4 in. (10.2 cm); W. 6 1/2 in. (16.5 cm); D. 3 1/2 in. (8.9 cm)
Classification
Ceramics
Culture & Period
Japan · Edo period (1615–1868)
Department
Asian Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. V. Everit Macy, 1923
Accession Number
23.225.39a, b
Tags
Art Historical Context
This charming censer with cover, crafted in 1750 during Japan's Edo period (16151868), exemplifies the elegance of Bizen ware, a renowned stoneware tradition from Okayama Prefecture. Standing just 4 inches tall and measuring 6½ inches wide, this compact ceramic vessel features a flecked glaze achieved through high-temperature wood-firing, where natural ash creates unique speckled patterns and subtle color variations. Produced by an unknown artisan, it likely bears animal motifs, reflecting the period's fondness for nature-inspired designs in everyday ritual objects. Censers like this were ess...