Mirror with Paired Felines (late 500s–600s): Art, History and Details
Mirror with Paired Felines at the Cleveland Museum of Art: late 500s–600s, bronze. Explore the work's context, creator attribution and collection history.
Mirror with Paired Felines (late 500s–600s) is in the Cleveland Museum of Art collection.
The work and its context
The museum's open-access catalogue describes the work:
The two leopard-like creatures stalking each other around the knob of this mirror display a naturalistic animal style that emerged with the Sui and Tang unification of China. Their constrained energy contrasts markedly with the reserved image of a young woman described in the encircling poetic inscription: The maiden's chamber—bright and clear Her precious mirror—round It has doubled both her eyes As she danced with the lonely phoenix. Its light flows over her powdered face, painted brow Diffusing radiance upon her silken gauze While with infinite delicacy She demurely glances at herself. Unlike the tightly integrated Han mirrors, examples of the Sui and Tang are typically inscribed with romantic verses that bear no relation to their accompanying designs.
Object facts
- Title: Mirror with Paired Felines
- Date: late 500s–600s
- Culture: China, Sui dynasty (581-618) - Tang dynasty (618-907)
- Type: Metalwork
- Technique: bronze
- Dimensions: Diameter: 14.5 cm (5 11/16 in.)
- Collection: China - Sui Dynasty
- Department: Chinese Art
- Accession number: 1926.249
Collection credit
Dudley P. Allen Fund
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.
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