The casting technique for this mirror, known as sand casting, was introduced to Iran from China around the mid-eleventh century. The form, with a prominent central knob from which it could be hung, is also inspired by Chinese models. However, the decoration— with an inscription bearing good wishes in Arabic, a ring of running animals, and a scrolling vegetal design— is drawn from the repertoire of Iran during the time of the Seljuqs.
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Artwork Details
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Title:Mirror
Date:12th century
Geography:Made in Iran
Medium:Bronze; cast, chased
Dimensions:D. 1 in. (2.5 cm) Diam. 7 5/8 in. (19.4 cm)
Classification:Metal
Credit Line:Rogers Fund, 1942
Object Number:42.136
Mirror
Like most of the metalwork objects exhibited here, the elaborate decoration on the back of this mirror shows that it was made for a person of wealth. Similar mirrors with different decorations on the back (astrological signs, lions, etc.) from the same period come also from northern Mesopotamia and southern Anatolia. This mirror is made of cast bronze and is decorated with three concentric registers around a central boss; it is surrounded by an everted rim. The central boss is pierced and has eight lobes ending in a petal-like base. The inner register has a trevoil scroll. The middle one shows six running animals against leaf scrolls. The animals can be identified from right to left as a hare, whose head is turned back to look at the dog stalking him; an antilope pursued by a lion, and a fox running in front of a hound. The decoration of the outer register consists of a foliated Kufic inscription that includes twelve good wishes for the owner: "Blessing, suspiciousness, joy, happiness, dignity, victory, uprightness, support, strenghtening, authority, praise, and survival to its owner." There may be some connection between the images of the animals and the meaning of the good wishes since the number of the wishes is twice that of the animals.
Abdallah Kahil in [Walker et al. 1994]
Inscription: On exterior register in Arabic in foliated kufic script, twelve good wishes for the owner:
برکة و یمن و سرور و سعادة و کرامة و نصر و استقامة و تایید و تمکین و سلطان و ثنا و بقا لصاحبه Blessing, joy, happiness, felicity, dignity, victory, uprightness, support, strengthening, authority, praise, and survival to its owner (Yassir al-Tabba, 1978)
Arabic inscription in foliated kufic script:
برکة و یمن و سرور و سعادة و کرامة و نصر و استقامة و تایید و تمکین و سلطان و ثنا و بقا لصاحبه
(A.Ghouchani, 2010)
[ Demotte, Inc., New York, in 1931]; [ Heeramaneck Galleries, New York, until 1942; sold to MMA]
London. Burlington House. "International Exhibition of Persian Art," January 7, 1931–February 28, 1931, no. 229.
Mexico City. Colegio de San Ildefonso. "Arte Islámico del Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York," September 30, 1994–January 8, 1995, no. 76.
New York. The Hagop Kevorkian Special Exhibitions Gallery, New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "The Nature of Islamic Ornament Part I: Calligraphy," February 26–June 28, 1998, no catalogue.
New York. The Metropolitan Museum of Art. "Balcony Calligraphy Exhibition," June 1–October 26, 2009, no catalogue.
Wilson, Arnold T. Catalogue of the International Exhibition of Persian Art. 3rd. ed. London: Royal Academy of Arts, 1931. no. 229, p. 149.
Welch, Stuart Cary. The Islamic World. vol. 11. New York: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, 1987. p. 42, ill. fig. 28 (color).
Schimmel, Annemarie. "Islamic Calligraphy." Metropolitan Museum of Art Bulletin, n.s., vol. 50, no. 1 (Summer 1992). p. 9, ill. (b/w).
The Metropolitan Museum of Art, Daniel S. Walker, Arturo Ponce Guadián, Sussan Babaie, Stefano Carboni, Aimee Froom, Marie Lukens Swietochowski, Tomoko Masuya, Annie Christine Daskalakis-Matthews, Abdallah Kahli, and Rochelle Kessler. "Colegio de San Ildefonso, Septiembre de 1994–Enero de 1995." In Arte Islámico del Museo Metropolitano de Arte de Nueva York. Mexico City: Consejo Nacional para la Cultura y las Artes, 1994. no. 76, pp. 196–97, ill. (b/w).
Baker, Patricia L., and Barbara Brend, ed. "Studies in Honour of Professor Géza Fehérvari." In Sifting Sands, Reading Signs. London: Furnace Publishing, 2006. p. 165, ill. fig. 4 (b/w).
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