COLLECTION NAME:
The AMICA Library
mediaCollectionId
AMICO~1~1
The AMICA Library
Collection
true
AMICA ID:
CMA_.1973.74
amicoid
CMA_.1973.74
AMICA ID
false
AMICA Library Year:
1998
aly
1998
AMICA Library Year
false
Object Type:
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
oty
Decorative Arts and Utilitarian Objects
Object Type
false
Creator Nationality:
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
crc
Asian; Far East Asian; Chinese
Creator Nationality
false
Creator Dates/Places:
China
cdt
China
Creator Dates/Places
false
Creator Name-CRT:
China, Early Tang Dynasty
crt
China, Early Tang Dynasty
Creator Name-CRT
false
Title:
Mirror (Jing)
otn
Mirror (Jing)
Title
false
Title Type:
Primary
ott
Primary
Title Type
false
View:
Full View
rid
Full View
View
false
Creation Date:
c. 700-750
oct
c. 700-750
Creation Date
false
Creation Start Date:
700
ocs
700
Creation Start Date
false
Creation End Date:
750
oce
750
Creation End Date
false
Materials and Techniques:
bronze with lacquer inlaid with silver and gold sheets
omd
bronze with lacquer inlaid with silver and gold sheets
Materials and Techniques
false
Classification Term:
Metalwork
clt
Metalwork
Classification Term
false
Classification Term:
Metalwork
clt
Metalwork
Classification Term
false
Dimensions:
Diameter: 19.2cm
met
Diameter: 19.2cm
Dimensions
false
AMICA Contributor:
The Cleveland Museum of Art
oon
The Cleveland Museum of Art
AMICA Contributor
false
Owner Location:
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
oop
Cleveland, Ohio, USA
Owner Location
false
ID Number:
1973.74
ooa
1973.74
ID Number
false
Credit Line:
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
ooc
Leonard C. Hanna, Jr. Fund
Credit Line
false
Rights:
orl
<a href="http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html"target="_new">http://www.clemusart.com/museum/disclaim2.html</a>
Rights
false
Context:
Metal mirrors with a smooth reflective surface and a decorated back were first fabricated in China during the Bronze Age. Decoration, customarily cast along with the mirror itself, is often arranged in concentric rings around the raised central knob that served as the handle. In the early eighth century, this long tradition of casting bronze mirrors was enriched by new kinds of decoration inspired by the luxury goods imported from Persia and western Asia over the fabled Silk Road. At that time, Chinese artisans began to use silver and gold to enrich their decorative designs. Perhaps the most impressive use of these precious materials occurs on mirrors inlaid with designs cut from extremely thin metal sheets. These delicate patterns were set in lacquer that had been spread across the bronze mirror back. When dry, the surface was smoothed and polished, and the inlays minutely detailed with a small chisel. This mirror, a rare surviving example of a fragile type, is the best preserved and finest example outside the Far East. Primary motifs, the phoenix and large floral sprays, are executed in chased silver sheets, while smaller blossoming flowers are portrayed in gold. The central medallion surrounding the knob is a rich combination of the two colored metals. Originally, this delicate object might have been kept in a similarly inlaid lacquer cosmetic box lined with padded silk for use by a lady of the court. K.W.
cxd
Metal mirrors with a smooth reflective surface and a decorated back were first fabricated in China during the Bronze Age. Decoration, customarily cast along with the mirror itself, is often arranged in concentric rings around the raised central knob that served as the handle. In the early eighth century, this long tradition of casting bronze mirrors was enriched by new kinds of decoration inspired by the luxury goods imported from Persia and western Asia over the fabled Silk Road. At that time, Chinese artisans began to use silver and gold to enrich their decorative designs. Perhaps the most impressive use of these precious materials occurs on mirrors inlaid with designs cut from extremely thin metal sheets. These delicate patterns were set in lacquer that had been spread across the bronze mirror back. When dry, the surface was smoothed and polished, and the inlays minutely detailed with a small chisel. This mirror, a rare surviving example of a fragile type, is the best preserved and finest example outside the Far East. Primary motifs, the phoenix and large floral sprays, are executed in chased silver sheets, while smaller blossoming flowers are portrayed in gold. The central medallion surrounding the knob is a rich combination of the two colored metals. Originally, this delicate object might have been kept in a similarly inlaid lacquer cosmetic box lined with padded silk for use by a lady of the court. K.W.
Context
false
Related Image Identifier Link:
CMA_.1973.74.tif
ril
CMA_.1973.74.tif
Related Image Identifier Link
false