Japan, Bronze incense burner with inlays, Meiji period circa 1880.

This Meiji-period bronze Japanese incense burner features exceptional inlay work using precious materials such as gold, silver, shakudo, and soapstone. The unusual stone inlays add subtle relief, enhancing the piece's quality. The body of the burner is decorated with roses, a flower uncommon in Japanese art and associated with Western elegance and grace, while the lid is adorned with a peony and a lotus, symbols of wealth and purity in Japanese culture. The dragon, or possibly a baku, surmounting the lid embodies strength and protection.

The inlay technique used here, called zogan, involves inserting precious metals into the surface of bronze. Shakudo, an alloy composed primarily of copper and gold, is often patinated to achieve a deep black or midnight blue color. This technique, prized during the Meiji period, allowed for the creation of subtle contrasts and refined visual effects, characteristic of the decorative arts of that era.

The feet shaped like lion heads and joined by a ring reinforce the symbolic dimension of the incense burner, where every detail carries meanings related to protection, strength, and prosperity.
Approximately 38 x 17 x 17 cm