1485
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
A Censer is a 1485 ink by Martin Schongauer, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This drawing shows a fancy metal censer—an old church tool for burning incense. It’s covered in tiny carved details: swirls, chains, and what look like little faces peeking out. The top has a cross on it, and the whole thing sits on a base with more twisted metalwork. Chains dangle from the sides, like they’re holding it in place. The artist used a sharp tool to scratch lines into the metal plate, then filled them with ink. That’s how the fine lines and shadows work—no brushes here. The tiny faces and patterns might be symbolic, but it’s hard to say without more context. Want to see how this technique works? Try looking up engraving.
Martin Schongauer, also known as Martin Schön or Hübsch Martin by his contemporaries, was an Alsatian engraver and painter.
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