Incense Stand in the Form of Lotus Leaf with Holder in the Form of a Prunus Blossom

The artist Imai Ōshin carved a piece of deer skull into a small tray for burning incense. The form of the object is that of a decaying lotus leaf. At its center is a silver incense-stick holder mimicking a five-lobed prunus blossom. Working with the textures and coloration of the skull, Ōshin embellished its surface with lines, holes, and irregularities to simulate the broad and curled features of the natural leaf.

Mortality is the pervasive and disquieting theme in this work, made more forceful by the prunus flower, a symbol of ephemerality. The sensitive crafting of once-living tissue into an image of degeneration is a profound accomplishment. This elegant twist increases the expressive force of this object far beyond its modest size.