Mirror
On View In:
Gallery 206
Artist:   Artist Unknown  
Title:   Mirror  
Date:   Koryo dynasty  
Medium:   Bronze, glass  
Dimensions:   8 1/2 in. (21.59 cm)  
Credit Line:   Gift of Louis W. Hill, Jr.  
Location:   Gallery 206  

Finely cast bronze mirrors were a standard luxury good among aristocratic men and women. While the fronts were polished to achieve a reflective surface, the backs were cast in decorative relief and organized around a central domed eyelet to accommodate a cord. As magical solar disks, they were also frequently placed in tombs in the belief that they could illuminate the darkness for the spirit of the deceased.


Object Description  
  
Classification:   Metalwork  
Physical Description:   mirror, eight arches around center knob surrounded by pattern of peonies and leaves; bronze  
Creation Place:   Asia, Korea  
Accession #:   76.72.25  
Owner:   The Minneapolis Institute of Arts