The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of June 4, 2023

Mirror with Concentric Circles and Linked Arcs

重圈連弧鏡

1st century BC

China, Western Han dynasty

(202 BC-AD 9)

Bronze

Diameter: 14.9 cm (5 7/8 in.); Overall: 1.1 cm (7/16 in.); Rim: 0.7 cm (1/4 in.)

Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee 1995.306

Location

not on view

Description

Inscription: Refine the copper to be pure and bright. Make it into a mirror to receive rightful decor. May it extend your life and remove misfortunes! [You are] coeval with the heaven above.

Inscriptions

Inscription

涑治銅華清而明。 以之為鏡宜文章。 延年益壽而辟不產（祥）。 與天毋極。

Inscription Translation

Refine the copper to be pure and bright. Make it into a mirror to receive rightful decor. May it extend your life and remove misfortunes! [You are] coeval with the heaven above.

Provenance
Thomas and Martha Carter, Madison, WI
Citations
Chou, Ju-hsi. Circles of reflection: the Carter collection of Chinese bronze mirrors. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000. Reproduced: p. 37, cat. no. 16
Exhibition history

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. 16, p. 37; pp. 106, 116; repr. p. 37.

New York, New York: China Institute Gallery; February 6, 2002-June 2, 2002. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".

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".

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).

Source URL: https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1995.306