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Mirror with Phoenixes, Birds, Butterflies, and Floral Sprays

Mirror with Phoenixes, Birds, Butterflies, and Floral Sprays

Unknown artist

This extremely rare pingtuo mirror is coated with a lacquer base inlaid with paper-thin sheets of silver and gold. The decorative patterns, especially the floral arabesques and the phoenixes and birds holding branches in their mouths, have a pronounced Persian and Central Asian flavor. Luxury items like this had been used by the Tang emperor as diplomatic gifts. A similar example from the Japanese imperial collection of Emperor Shōmu was donated by Empress Kōmyō in 756 to the Shōsō-in repository of the Tōdai-ji Temple, Nara, Japan.

Details
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Medium
bronze with silver and gold inlaid lacquer
Dimensions
diameter: width 0.192 m
Origin
China, Tang dynasty (618-907)
Department
Chinese Art
Holding institution
Cleveland Museum of Art
Image provider
cleveland-museum-of-art
License
CC0-1.0
Credit
Leonard C. Hanna Jr. Fund

Art Genome Taxonomy

11 tags

Subject Matter

  • Animals Both · 99%

    Phoenixes, birds, and butterflies are identified in the catalog and are visibly represented across the decorated face.

  • Flora Both · 99%

    Flowering branches, leaves, blossoms, and floral sprays are clearly visible and correspond to the catalog description of floral arabesques.

Visual Qualities

  • Arabesque/Scroll Both · 96%

    The catalog describes floral arabesques, while the image shows flowing vegetal branches, curling stems, and scrolling floral forms.

Time Periods

  • 500 - 1000 CE Art Metadata · 99%

    The catalog dates the object to the 700s, within the 500–1000 CE period.

Geographic Regions

  • Chinese Art Metadata · 99%

    The museum identifies the place of origin as China and classifies the work within Chinese Art.

Materials

  • Bronze Metadata · 99%

    The listed medium is bronze with silver and gold inlaid lacquer.

  • Silver Metadata · 99%

    The catalog specifies paper-thin sheets of silver as part of the inlaid decoration.

  • Gold Metadata · 99%

    The catalog specifies gold as part of the inlaid decoration.

  • Inlay Metadata · 99%

    The museum describes silver and gold sheets inlaid into a lacquer base.

Cultural and Religious Styles

  • Tang Dynasty Metadata · 99%

    The place of origin is identified as China, Tang dynasty (618–907).

Furniture and Lighting

  • Mirror Metadata · 99%

    The catalog title identifies the object as a mirror, and the museum describes it specifically as a rare pingtuo mirror.

Source & rights

Unknown artist. Mirror with Phoenixes, Birds, Butterflies, and Floral Sprays. Cleveland Museum of Art.

Catalog record ↗ Image source ↗ Image license ↗ Image-use terms ↗

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