Mirror with Fish

ca. 13th century

Not on view

The back of this mirror shows fish against a background suggestive of a stream of water, and a medallion with a six-petal rosette surrounding the central knob. The mirror’s undecorated side would have been polished into a highly reflective surface. Metal cast mirrors were common in the medieval Islamic period, when they might have also been used as talismans and for magical practices.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

Title: Mirror with Fish
Date: ca. 13th century
Geography: Country of Origin Central Asia or Iran
Medium: Leaded bronze alloy
Dimensions: Diam. 3 in. (7.6 cm)
Classification: Metal
Credit Line: Bequest of Carolyn Kane, 2015
Object Number: 2015.796.52
Curatorial Department: Islamic Art

More Artwork

In the same medium

From the same time and place

A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.

Incense Burner of Amir Saif al-Dunya wa’l-Din ibn Muhammad al-Mawardi, Ja`far ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali, Bronze; cast, engraved, chased, pierced — Incense Burner of Amir Saif al-Dunya wa’l-Din ibn Muhammad al-Mawardi
Ja`far ibn Muhammad ibn `Ali
dated 577 AH/1181–82 CE

Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript, Ink, gold, and watercolor on paper — Folio from a Qur'an Manuscript
dated 531 AH/1137 CE

Ewer, Brass; raised, repoussé, inlaid with silver and a black compound — Ewer
ca. 1180–1210

Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi, Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi Iranian, Ink, opaque watercolor, and gold on paper — Folio from a Mu'nis al-ahrar fi daqa'iq al-ash'ar (The Free Man's Companion to the Subtleties of Poems) of Jajarmi
Muhammad ibn Badr al-Din Jajarmi
dated 741 AH/1340–41 CE

Mirror, Bronze; cast — Mirror
11th–12th century

Research Resources

The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.

To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.

Feedback

We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.