Mirror (25–220 CE): Art, History and Details

Mirror (25–220 CE) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.

The work and its context

The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:

Two of the same animals of the Four Directions seen in the "TLV" mirror are cast in high relief and twisted in confrontation: the Dragon of the East with long snout, pointed horn, and scaly backbone meets the Tiger of the West with feline head and striped neck. An amphibious creature of unknown symbolism swims between their tails, perhaps depictions of Fuxi and Nüwa(?).The circle between their heads duplicates the form of a copper coin, minted during the Han dynasty, that was strung through its square perforation. The inscription on the coin reads, "Wu Zhu" (五銖), a five weight coin minted under Emperor Han Wudi who reigned from 141 to 87 BCE. The encircling inscription reads: "Mr. Wang has made this mirror; it is true and without blemish. Its decoration is engraved with skilled craftsmanship. May your longevity be like metal and stone; may you have joy without end."

Object facts

• Title: Mirror
• Date: 25–220 CE
• Culture: China, Eastern Han dynasty (25–220 CE)
• Type: Metalwork
• Technique: bronze
• Dimensions: Diameter: 13.1 cm (5 3/16 in.)
• Collection: China - Han Dynasty
• Department: Chinese Art
• Accession number: 1915.606

Collection credit

Gift of the John Huntington Art and Polytechnic Trust

View the collection record

See the museum's photographs and full catalogue entry. Catalogue text is reproduced from the Cleveland Museum of Art's open-access data, with HTML formatting removed. This object and its supplied image are designated CC0.