The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Bronze mirror

This artwork is currently on display in Gallery 170

Description

Peleus, Thetis, and Galene

Pele (Greek: Peleus) surprises his bride, Thethis (Greek: Thetis), who is assisted by the nereid Calaina (Greek: Galene) as she gazes into a mirror. Between Peleus and Thetis, who later became the parents of Achilles, is an engraved toiletries box with lid ajar to reveal various toilet items, including a perfume applicator and two perfume vases. The superb quality of the engraving has assured this mirror's fame.
References

Richter, Gisela M.A. 1910. "Department of Classical Art: The Accessions of 1909--II. Bronzes." Bulletin of the Metropolitan Museum of Art 5(4): pp. 95, 99, fig. 9.

Picón, Carlos A., et al. 2007. Art of the Classical World in The Metropolitan Museum of Art. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, no. 370, pp. 312, 477.
See also
What
Metal (59,364)

Copper alloy (16,630)

Bronze (11,628)

Mirrors (741)
Where
Europe (148,586)

Italy (20,983)
When
1000 B.C.-A.D. 1 (23,148)
In the Museum
Greek and Roman Art (17,329)
Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History
Italian Peninsula, 1000 B.C.–1 A.D.
MetPublications
Search for related Met publications