Censer

Art Historical Context

Nestled in the Medieval Art collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art, this delicate censer—acquired through the Rogers Fund in 1967—dates to the 11th–14th century and hails from possibly Italian workshops. Crafted from copper alloy, a durable material prized for its malleability and golden patina, it measures a modest 3 15/16 x 4 11/16 inches (10 x 11.9 cm). As a metalwork-bronze piece, it exemplifies the era's skilled lost-wax casting techniques, where molten metal filled intricate molds to create finely detailed forms. Censers like this were essential in Christian liturgy, swung by prie...