Inscribed mirror with legendary figures

Historical period(s)
Period of Division, 200-499
Medium
Bronze
Dimensions
Diam x D: 17.6 x 1.4 cm (6 15/16 x 9/16 in)
Geography
China
Credit Line
Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment
Collection
Freer Gallery of Art Collection
Accession Number
F1939.52
On View Location
Currently not on view
Classification(s)
Metalwork, Mirror
Type

Mirror

Keywords
China, Period of Division (220 - 589)
Provenance

In 1939
C. T. Loo & Company, New York from May 24, 1939 [1]

From 1939
Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on November 30, 1939 [2]

Notes:

[1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 86423: "Mirror. Decorated on the edge with a flat register of birds, animals and flower motives. In the center low registers in low relief of human figures, animals and pagodas, toward the border a narrow register of characters with Taoist inscriptions. Diam 6 ¾. Han," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. The mirror was shipped to the Freer Gallery in November 1939, see Loo's Approval Memo, dated November 6, 1939, copy in object file.

[2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated November 30, 1939, copy in object file.

Previous Owner(s) and Custodian(s)

C.T. Loo & Company 1914-1948

Published References
  • Florance Waterbury. Bird-Deities in China. Supplementum 10 Ascona, Switzerland. pl. 52.
  • Jan Fontein, Rose Hempel. China, Korea, Japan. Propylaen Kunsgeschichte Berlin. pl. 38.
  • Chugoku bijutsu [Chinese Art in Western Collections]. 5 vols., Tokyo, 1972-1973. vol. 4: fig. 82.
  • Compiled by the staff of the Freer Gallery of Art. A Descriptive and Illustrative Catalogue of Chinese Bronzes: Acquired During the Administration of John Ellerton Lodge. Oriental Studies Series, no. 3 Washington, 1946. p. 78, pl. 40.
  • Higuchi Takayasu. Kokyo. 2 vols., Tokyo. p. 179, fig. 81.
  • Michele Pirazzoli-t'Serstevens. The Han Dynasty. New York. p. 183.
Collection Area(s)
Chinese Art
Web Resources
Google Cultural Institute
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