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The Censer

A work made of engraving on cream laid paper.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of engraving on cream laid paper.

Date:

1470/74

Artist:

Martin Schongauer
German, c. 1430/50-1491

About this artwork

Although best known now for his engravings, Martin Schongauer was initially a goldsmith as well as a painter. The extraordinary detail of his early Censer suggests either a design for a planned commission, or a close replica of an existing one. Censers were ornate sculptured objects used in Catholic churches to distribute clouds of incense during Mass by swinging them back and forth on long chains. This one is covered with a heavenly host and boasts numerous openwork areas to allow the clouds of smoke to emerge.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Prints and Drawings

Artist

Martin Schongauer

Title

The Censer

Place

Germany (Artist's nationality:)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Artist's working dates 1450–1491

Medium

Engraving on cream laid paper

Dimensions

Image: 25.8 × 20.7 cm (10 3/16 × 8 3/16 in.); Sheet, trimmed within plate: 30.2 × 20.7 cm (11 15/16 × 8 3/16 in.)

Credit Line

Gift of Mrs. Potter Palmer, Jr.

Reference Number

1956.44

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/86268/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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