Caption

Incense burner koro, Meiji period late 19th century, Japan; bronze vessel/incense burner with dragon-shaped handles; decorated with dragons, devils, elephants, zodiac signs, peacocks, pine trees, peonies, bodhisattva imagery, and Amaterasu; Japanese art; height 255.0 cm, width 78.0 cm, depth 46.0 cm, A tall, dark metallic sculptural object stands against a neutral light gray background, with a shiny blackish-brown patina and areas of darker and slightly reddish-brown hues. The piece has an elongated vertical form composed of several stacked sections: a rounded ornate base with a circular platform, a midsection supported by sculpted animal-like legs and rounded feet, and a narrower column that rises to a bulbous vessel-like portion. The vessel section features two large ornate handles shaped like curling dragon or serpentine figures extending outward and upward, and the surface of the vessel and adjoining sections is richly textured with raised decorative motifs and sculpted figures. Higher up, a rocky textured element supports a small standing human figure at the very top, and additional twisting dragon forms wind around the central shaft. The overall color palette visible is mostly dark black and brown tones with subtle reddish-brown highlights against the pale gray background.

Credit line

Photo12/Liszt Collection

Reference

LZT26A24_296

License type

Rights managed

Available size

77.2Mb (1.9Mb) / 15.0in x 20.0in / 4500 x 6000 (300dpi)

Keywords

Incense burner koro Meiji period late 19th century Japan bronze vessel incense burner dragon-shaped handles decorated dragons devils elephants zodiac signs peacocks pine trees peonies bodhisattva imagery Amaterasu Japanese art height 255.0 cm width 78.0 cm depth 46.0 cm tall dark metallic sculptural object stands neutral light gray background shiny blackish-brown patina areas darker slightly reddish-brown hues piece elongated vertical form composed several stacked sections rounded ornate base circular platform midsection supported sculpted animal- legs rounded feet narrower column rises bulbous vessel- portion vessel section features two large ornate handles shaped curling dragon serpentine figures extending outward upward surface vessel adjoining sections richly textured raised decorative motifs sculpted figures Higher up rocky textured element supports small standing human figure top additional twisting dragon forms wind central shaft color palette visible mostly dark black brown tones subtle reddish-brown highlights pale gray background.