East Asia, China, Han Dynasty, ca. 206 BCE to 220 CE. A circular bronze mirror, cast in low relief, with a perforated knob or boss through which a cord would have been threaded to make it easier to hold or carry, encircled by repeated motifs of chrysanthemums. The six flowers encircle the knob, symbolically representing nobility. It is also a symbol of autumn. The bronze alloy used here has a high percentage of lead, which would have allowed the undecorated obverse to be highly polished and reflective. As a result, the surface has a fascinating, mottled turquoise and silver-colored patina. Size: 6.55" W (16.6 cm)

Mirrors in ancient China served both practical and spiritual purposes. Bronze mirrors were also luxury goods that would have been expensive to produce and therefore to buy. When placed in a tomb upon the chest of the deceased, as they often were, they were meant to protect the dead from evil spirits, who were frightened of being seen in reflection. In a similarly symbolic move, women carried "marriage mirrors" on their laps during their wedding procession; these were later hung over the marriage bed to repel evil spirits.

Provenance: ex-Wong collection, Lotus Trading, Hong Kong, acquired around 1974

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#137926

Intact, with a mottled turquoise and silver-colored patina.