Censer, 1723-1735, 37 3/16 x 23 3/4 x 13 7/8 in. (94.4 x 60.4 x 35.3 cm) (a:)23 3/4 x 12 x 8 1/2 in. (60.4 x 30.48 x 21.6 cm) (b:, c: (each)), Bronze, China, 18th century, Standard ritual bronzes cast for the altar comprise five vessels (wu gang), a censer, two candlesticks, and a pair of vases. Early woodblock prints depict these objects formally arranged in a line across the altar table with the censer used as a centerpiece flanked by candlesticks with the vases at the two ends. Ritual bronze vessels like these, made for the imperial palaces and temples, were governed by state regulations under a section titled, 'Rules for Making Sacrificial Vessels and Ornaments for Temple Use.' The archaistic décor including taotie masks and cicada blades against a spiral ground is a revival of a Song dynasty (960-1279) style which was itself an interpretation of ancient Shang and Zhou (16th c. - 221 BCE) ritual bronzes. Each vessel of this large and important set bears the six-character reign mark