Incense burner - 19th century.
Iron, gold, lining of silver
This little praying mantis is fully articulated, meaning its body hinges to move like a real bug. The 19th-century Japanese reproduction resembles incense burners made for samurai. Samurai collected novelty incense burners ranging in whimsical shapes and fantastical forms. Thanks to the export market, reproductions such as this were popularized.
-The Met
Iron, gold, lining of silver
This little praying mantis is fully articulated, meaning its body hinges to move like a real bug. The 19th-century Japanese reproduction resembles incense burners made for samurai. Samurai collected novelty incense burners ranging in whimsical shapes and fantastical forms. Thanks to the export market, reproductions such as this were popularized.
-The Met