The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of October 2, 2023

Double-tier Mirror

透雕紋鏡

300s BCE

China, Warring States period

(475-221 BC)

Bronze

Diameter: 7.6 cm (3 in.); Overall: 0.8 cm (5/16 in.); Rim: 0.5 cm (3/16 in.)

Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee 1999.220

Location

241A Arts of Ancient China

Fun Fact

This luxury object consists of two different layers: a reflective disc with a central knob on the back, and a ring with openwork serpent designs.

Description

The craft of mirror making prospered remarkably during the Warring States period, as bronzes increasingly served as luxury items for individuals. A variety of ornamentations appear on the backs of mirrors, some of which bear resemblance to those found in contemporary jades, lacquer wares, and textiles—all luxury items of the day. This tiny round mirror belongs to the rare double-cast type. It consists of two different layers: a reflective disc with a central knob at the back, and a ring with openwork designs of undulating serpents.

Provenance
?-1999
Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter, Madison, WI, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art
1999-
The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH, -present
Citations
Cleveland Museum of Art, “Cleveland Museum of Art Acquires Rare Chinese Paintings, Baroque Porcelain Plaque and Other New Acquisitions Exhibited with Hanging Scrolls,” December 20, 1999, Cleveland Museum of Art Archives. archive.org
Chou, Ju-hsi. Circles of reflection: the Carter collection of Chinese bronze mirrors. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000. Reproduced: p. 15, cat. no. 4
Exhibition history

Cleveland, Ohio: The Cleveland Museum of Art; September 17-November 26, 2000. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors" exh. cat. no. 4, pp. 26-27; pp. 110, 127; repr. p. 26, color repr. pl. 1, p. 15.

New York, New York: China Institute Gallery; February 6, 2002-June 2, 2002. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".

Madison, Wisconsin: Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison; December 20, 2003-February 29, 2004. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".

Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 17-November 26, 2000); China Institute Gallery, New York, NY (February 6-June 2, 2002); Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, WI (December 20, 2003-February 29, 2004).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1999.220