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HOME :
Chinese Art :
Tang Bronze Mirrors : Tang Octofoil Silver-Plated Bronze Mirror
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Tang Octofoil Silver-Plated Bronze Mirror - H.841
Origin: China
Circa: 618
AD
to 906
AD
Dimensions:
5.375" (13.7cm) high
Collection: Chinese
Medium: Bronze
Additional Information: K
£9,000.00
Location: Great Britain
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| Photo Gallery |
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| Description |
Today, when we think of mirrors, we think of
a thin layer of reflective metal, usually a
combination of tin and mercury, covered in a
layer of protective glass. However, the
modern mirror was an innovation of 16th
Century Italian craftsmen. Before that, since
ancient time, mirrors of highly polished
bronze were used. Bronze mirrors
themselves were introduced into China
during the 6th Century B.C. They were used
not only as functional articles but as sacred
objects filled with their own powers. The
custom of placing mirrors in a tomb
originated around the 4th Century B.C. The
Chinese believed that mirrors had the ability
not only to reflect, but also to radiate light,
and thus illuminate the tomb for eternity.
Often multiple mirrors were entombed, not
alongside the other funerary objects, but
close to the body of the deceased.
The octofoil shape of this mirror is typical of
the Tang Dynasty, as are the representation
of two ducks and a small bird. Here, the
animals are arranged around the large
central boss with a drilled hole. A chord
would have been wound through this hole to
serve as a handle. The Mandarin duck, in
Chinese art, symbolizes the strong love of a
married couple while the bird may serve as
an allusion to correspondences between
lovers. The foliage and flowers that decorate
the border reinforce the amorous symbolism.
We can imagine a young lover holding this
mirror, gazing at her reflection and she
longingly thinks of her husband who has
ventured away to an out province on a
diplomatic mission or business affairs. As
she primps herself, she can take solace in
the imagery that decorates the back of this
mirror, knowing that their love is strong, like
that of the duck.
- (H.841)
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