Description
The casting of this mirror is precise. The central knob is surrounded by 16 petals to assume the appearance of a lotus blossom. In the inner circle, the three pairs of bixie, mythological animals, are displayed in fuller relief and sense of organic coordination than animals in earlier Sui period mirrors, which are slender in proportion and lissome in appearance. The outer circle has a poetic inscription:
The spirit merges with the forms that are being wrought. The lustrous metal matches the exquisite craftsmanship. Like a pearl, it emerges from the container box—
A virtual moon suspended in the firmament. [It enables] the lady to draw her eyebrows And apply rouge to her face. Even those elegant windows and the embroidered curtains: Can all be reflected within.
The spirit merges with the forms that are being wrought. The lustrous metal matches the exquisite craftsmanship. Like a pearl, it emerges from the container box—
A virtual moon suspended in the firmament. [It enables] the lady to draw her eyebrows And apply rouge to her face. Even those elegant windows and the embroidered curtains: Can all be reflected within.
Provenance
Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter, Madison, WI, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art (?–1995); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (1995–)
Accession Number
1995.335
Medium
bronze
Dimensions
Diameter: 17.6 cm (6 15/16 in.); Overall: 1.5 cm (9/16 in.); Rim: 1.3 cm (1/2 in.)
Classification
Metalwork
Credit Line
Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee