The Cleveland Museum of Art
Collection Online as of April 25, 2024
Mirror with Four T's
300s BCE
(475–221 BCE)
Diameter: 10.4 cm (4 1/8 in.); Rim: 0.5 cm (3/16 in.)
Location: 241A Arts of Ancient China
Did You Know?
The prominent T's on this mirror represent four gates in Chinese mythology that relate to transformation.Description
The symbolic significance of the ancient Chinese mirror lies in its circular form and reflective quality that make it resemble the sun and the moon. "By the light of the sun, the world is made bright," so said a mirrorsmith. When the mirror was taken with its owner for use in the afterlife, it reflected the soul and brought eternal brightness to the next world.- Thomas and Martha Carter, Madison, WI
- Chou, Ju-hsi. Circles of reflection: the Carter collection of Chinese bronze mirrors. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000. Reproduced: p. 25, cat. no. 02
- Madison, Wisconsin: Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison; December 20, 2003-February 29, 2004. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".New York, New York: China Institute Gallery; February 6, 2002-June 2, 2002. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 17-November 26, 2000); China Institute Gallery, New York, NY (February 6-June 2, 2002); Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, WI (December 20, 2003-February 29, 2004).Cleveland, Ohio: The Cleveland Museum of Art; September 17-November 26, 2000. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors" exh. cat. no. 2, p. 25; pp. 105, 113; repr. p. 25.
- {{cite web|title=Mirror with Four T's|url=false|author=|year=300s BCE|access-date=25 April 2024|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}
Source URL:
https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1995.281