Perfume Burner
Dateca. 1550
CulturePossibly Northern Italian
MediumGilded Bronze
ClassificationMetalwork
Credit LineBequest of John Ringling, 1936
Object numberSN7075
The proper name for a censer in the Western Church is a thurible, from the Latin thuribulum and the Greek thyos, meaning incense. In its design, the censer allows both for controlled burning and the escape of scented smoke. This finely wrought pierced bronze-gilt footed sphere (SN7075) was probably meant to be used and displayed on an altar. The upper portion is crested with the cast figure of a Roman soldier clad in armor, and opens with a five-part hinge to a cup-lined lower portion. The sphere is cut and pierced with elegant scrollwork, and a band of pseudo cabochon jewels, and raised on an engraved base. This censer, which takes the form of a Gothic church (SN7077), has a cover in the form of two rows of pierced Gothic windows alternating with flying buttresses, which rise to a steepled roof.
On View
Not on view
16th century
16th century
Unknown, Italian
Probably mid-19th Century
Unknown
Frame, 16th century; Miniature, second half of 15th century
