Chinese Incense Burner or Censer

Round-eyed face with a geometric headband and a pot's worth of dignity.

This incense burner or censer is from Hebei Province, China, and dates to the 20th century. It is bronze. Bronze incense burners have a long history in China, where burning incense has been part of ritual, scholarly and domestic life for many centuries. On inspection, a rounded vessel shaped like a face, with heavy-lidded eyes, a broad nose and a small smile. Fine incised meander and zigzag bands circle the forehead and upper body, and lines mark the cheeks. The surface is pinkish tan with darker patches. It is 3 inches wide, 3 deep and 4 high.

Plenty of face, plenty of pattern, and a short neck.