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Double-tier Mirror
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
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.
Cleveland Museum of Art’s own descriptionCredit lineDouble-tier Mirror (透雕紋鏡), 300s BCE. China, Warring States period (475–221 BCE). Bronze; diameter: 7.6 cm (3 in.); overall: 0.8 cm (5/16 in.); rim: 0.5 cm (3/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee, 1999.220
