Incense burner

Historical period(s)
Delhi Sultanate period, 15th century
Medium
Brass
Dimensions
H x W x D: 17.2 x 12.2 x 14.9 cm (6 3/4 x 4 13/16 x 5 7/8 in)
Geography
India
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art
Accession Number
F1991.12
On View Location
Freer Gallery 03: Engaging the Senses: Art in the Islamic World
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Vessel
Type

Incense burner

Keywords
casting, Delhi Sultanate (1206 - 1526), incense, India, lion
Provenance
Provenance research underway.
Label

This incense burner, cast in the shape of a lion, was made in the Deccan area of India during the Islamic Sultanate period (ca. 1206-1526).  The back compartment was concealed with a lid, which has been lost; incense burning in that compartment would send smoke out of the perforated chest and the mouth. The piece merges an imported Islamic form—an animal-shaped incense burner—with shapes common to Indian art such as the elephant and lion with horns and bulging eyes.

Collection Area(s)
South Asian and Himalayan Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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