Harvard Art Museums > 2010.558: Square Mirror with Well-Defined Rim and Scrolling Floral Decor Mirrors Collections Search Exit Deep Zoom Mode Zoom Out Zoom In Reset Zoom Full Screen Add to Collection Order Image Copy Link Copy Citation Citation"Square Mirror with Well-Defined Rim and Scrolling Floral Decor , 2010.558,” Harvard Art Museums collections online, Apr 20, 2024, https://hvrd.art/o/336957. Reuse via IIIF Toggle Deep Zoom Mode Download This object does not yet have a description. Identification and Creation Object Number 2010.558 Title Square Mirror with Well-Defined Rim and Scrolling Floral Decor Classification Mirrors Work Type mirror Date 12th-14th century Places Creation Place: East Asia, Korea Period Koryŏ dynasty, 918-1392 Culture Korean Persistent Link https://hvrd.art/o/336957 Physical Descriptions Medium Cast bronze Dimensions L. 9 x W. 9 cm (3 9/16 x 3 9/16 in.) Provenance Recorded Ownership History [through ?, Korea, mid 1960s]; to Jerry Lee Musslewhite (mid 1960s-2009); to Estate of Jerry Lee Musslewhite (2009-2010), sold; to Harvard Art Museums, 2010. NOTE: Jerry Lee Musslewhite was an employee of the U.S. Department of Defense who worked in the Republic of Korea from 1965 to 1969. Acquisition and Rights Credit Line Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, Purchase through the generosity of Alan J. and Suzanne W. Dworsky Accession Year 2010 Object Number 2010.558 Division Asian and Mediterranean Art Contact am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu Permissions The Harvard Art Museums encourage the use of images found on this website for personal, noncommercial use, including educational and scholarly purposes. To request a higher resolution file of this image, please submit an online request. Descriptions Description A well-articulated, relief lip borders this square mirror's decorated back, which is further embellished with a scrolling-floral pattern that sports one blossom at each corner. Eight wedge-, or pie-, shaped petals radiate from the central boss, so that the mirror's center resembles an open blossom seen from above. A small, relief dot separates the top corner of each petal from the next, while a constellation of small, raised dots, configured as a floret, enlivens the center of each petal. A series of short, relief lines--the lines resembling a series of dashes, each separated from the next by a space--appears immediately inside the relief lip on each side; a series of small, raised dots appears immediately inside each row of short lines. Although basically geometric border decoration, these discontinuous lines suggest the tops of elongated chrysanthemum petals, just as the dots suggest stamen and pistil tips; such subtle border decoration frequently appears on Chinese bronze mirrors of the Liao and Jin periods (compare H/AM 2010.440 and 2010.441), illustrating the source of inspiration for this mirror's decorative scheme. The reflecting face of the mirror is flat and undecorated. An even, celadon-green patina covers the mirror's decorated back; the same patina originally covered the reflecting face, though some of that patina has been crudely scraped away in modern times. Verification Level This record was created from historic documentation and may not have been reviewed by a curator; it may be inaccurate or incomplete. Our records are frequently revised and enhanced. For more information please contact the Division of Asian and Mediterranean Art at am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
