Mirror
53-17-1A
Location: On Display in the Asia Galleries
From: China
Curatorial Section: Asian
| Object Number | 53-17-1A |
| Current Location | Asia Galleries - On Display |
| Culture | Chinese |
| Provenience | China |
| Period | Tang Dynasty |
| Date Made | 8th Century CE |
| Section | Asian |
| Materials | Metal |
| Iconography | Lion | Grapes |
| Description | Mirror made of white speculum metal with enough legitimate patina to indicate its age, which is also indicated by the type. It is very white, as they all were, because for symbolic reasons they were quicksilvered. The decoration includes five lions representing the five directions and the five elements. Iin the outer ring are auspicious birds with grapes and grape leaves. The outermost border is of conventionalized clouds to represent the rim of the dome of the sky. Therefore, the whole is a cosmic diagram. |
| Credit Line | Purchased from H. Yatsuhashi, 1953 |
| Other Number | CG2000-1-229 - Found in Collection Number |
Report problems and issues to digitalmedia@pennmuseum.org.