BYZANTINE, 6TH-8TH CENTURY | Censer with six scenes from the Life of Christ

Dr Waldemar Belck (1862-1936), Germany, acquired before 1899;
thence by descent to the present owner

Munich, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Prähistorische Staatssammlungen, Rom und Byzanz: Archäologische Kostbarkeiten aus Bayern, 1998-1999, no. 30

L. Wamser and G. Zahlhaas (eds.), Rom und Byzanz: Archäologische Kostbarkeiten aus Bayern, exh. cat. Prähistorische Staatssammlungen, Bayerisches Nationalmuseum, Munich, 1998, pp. 44-45, no. 30

Overall the condition of the bronze is good, with wear and some dirt to the surface consistent with age. There is some rubbing to the surface, in particular at the high points. There is a small loss to one of the loops at the top (which would have held the now-lost chain). There are several minor surface nicks and scratches. There is a later Arabic inscription to the foot. There are some encrustations, as well as minor corrosion, to the interior. There is some reddish colouring to the surface in areas.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This rare Early Christian censer with figural decoration shows six scenes from the Life of Christ: The Annunciation, The Visitation, The Nativity, The Baptism, The Crucifixion, and The Women at the Tomb. Most of the around one hundred surviving censers of this type include five scenes, and only a few examples, like the present censer, have more, up to nine. In the scholarship this group of objects has been dated to the 6th-8th century and localised in the Syria-Palestine area, though it is possible that production was spread more widely. While the modelling is worn, the figural scenes on the present censer display a remarkable degree of detail, such as the stylised Sun and Moon in the Crucifixion. The censer is further distinguished by its attractive foliate borders to the rim and the foot. A comparable example (though with only five scenes) is in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (inv. no. 65.9). 

The present censer was brought to Germany in 1899 by Dr Waldemar Belck, the distinguished German chemist and amateur archaeologist. In 1884, at the age of 22, Belck embarked on an expedition to Southwest-Africa where he conducted significant research on the area's resources. From 1888 he was employed by Siemens & Halske and stationed at the copper mines in the Caucasus region. It was in 1891 that he first began exploratory travel to the Near East, which culminated in an elaborate expedition to Armenia in 1898/1899, followed by further expeditions in 1901 and 1904. Many of his important archaeological discoveries are now located in the Völkerkundemuseum, Berlin. It is likely that Belck received the censer as a gift during his sojourn in Armenia.

RELATED LITERATURE
N. Netzer, Medieval Objects in the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston: Metalwork, Boston, 1991, pp. 154-156, no. 60