Mirror with two dragons

2nd century BCE

Not on view

Each of the spirited dragons depicted on the back of this bronze mirror has a slender, sinuous body and a long, ribbed horn. The pair writhe amid waves that swirl around a central boss; four hemispherical knobs may allude to the immortal isles of ancient Chinese cosmology.

Artwork Details

Overview

Provenance

References

西漢　雙龍紋銅鏡
Title: Mirror with two dragons
Period: Western Han dynasty (206 BCE–9 CE)
Date: 2nd century BCE
Culture: China
Medium: Bronze
Dimensions: Diam. 4 5/8 in. (11.7 cm)
Classification: Mirrors
Credit Line: Purchase, Friends of Asian Art Gifts, 2005
Object Number: 2005.125
Curatorial Department: Asian Art

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