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Identification and Creation

Object Number
2002.233
Title
Mirror with Tinned Surface
Classification
Mirrors
Work Type
mirror
Date
1st-2nd century CE
Places
Creation Place: Ancient & Byzantine World
Period
Roman Imperial period
Culture
Roman
Persistent Link
https://hvrd.art/o/98609

Physical Descriptions

Medium
Leaded bronze
Technique
Cast, lost-wax process
Dimensions
27.9 x 0.9 x 16.1 cm (11 x 3/8 x 6 5/16 in.)
Technical Details

Chemical Composition: Mirror Disc
XRF data from Artax 1 and Tracer
Alloy: Leaded Bronze
Alloying Elements: copper, tin, lead
Other Elements: iron
Comments: Both sides of the mirror have the same elements.

Handle
XRF data from Tracer
Alloy: Leaded Bronze
Alloying Elements: copper, tin, lead
Other Elements: zinc, iron, antimony

K. Eremin, January 2014

Technical Observations: The surface is almost entirely bright white metal. There are areas of green, red, and black corrosion products. The surface, including the reflective polish, is extremely well preserved. Some of the areas of green and red bear blisters and pits, which break through the polished surface. The handle is darker and duller, but it also has a metallic appearance. There is a small loss at the tip of the handle. It does not seem to be a fractured surface; it appears to have been filed and hammered and may be a crude, perhaps ancient, repair of a flaw or a chip loss. The handle is a good fit to the mirror but is held in place with a modern resin.

The mirror was probably cast from a wax model, which was also cast in a fine mold. It is also possible that a refractory mold could have been used for the copper alloy casting without an intermediate wax model. Either way, the fine finishing of the surfaces and concentric decorations were done by revolving the cast piece on a device that allowed abrading, cutting, and burnishing with great precision. Concentric burnish marks are visible on the smooth areas of the back surface and measure c. 0.5 mm in width. If the reflecting surface was burnished, the marks on this side have been polished out to serve better as a mirror. The handle is not finely finished and shows crude scraping and abrasive marks as well as numerous small casting flaws.


Henry Lie (submitted 2012)

Provenance

Recorded Ownership History
Professor Clive Foss, Cambridge, MA (1973-2002), sold; to The Harvard University Art Museums, 2002.

Acquisition and Rights

Credit Line
Harvard Art Museums/Arthur M. Sackler Museum, David M. Robinson Fund
Accession Year
2002
Object Number
2002.233
Division
Asian and Mediterranean Art
Contact
am_asianmediterranean@harvard.edu
Permissions

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Descriptions

Published Catalogue Text: Ancient Mediterranean and Near Eastern Bronzes at the Harvard Art Museums
The disc of this mirror is intact and has a noticeable silvery sheen on both faces, possibly indicating either that the surface is tinned or that the alloy has a high level of tin (1). The non-reflecting side of the mirror has concentric circle decoration around the edge (a double band c. 0.7 mm wide) and the center (1.2 cm in diameter around a raised center point). The reflecting face has thin concentric circle decoration on the edge but is otherwise featureless; much of the reflecting surface is covered by cloudy, dark gray discoloration. The separately cast handle attaches to the disc on one side on the exterior rim (2). The handle is very thin (0.9 cm maximum diameter) and tapers to the tip. It has molded decoration that consists of slightly raised beads separated by thin raised bands, terminating in a two-tiered finial, possibly meant to resemble a bud.

NOTES:

1. For similarly silvery mirrors, although with a border of perforated dots around the disc, see Los bronces romanos en España, exh. cat., Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia, Palacio de Velazquez (Madrid, 1990) 304, nos. 267-68.


2. Compare mirror and handle fragments in E. Riha, Römisches Toilettgerät und medizinische Instrumente aus Augst und Kaiseraugst, Forschungen in Augst 6 (Augst, 1986) 13-14, nos. 8-20, pls. 2-3.

Lisa M. Anderson

Subjects and Contexts

  • Roman Domestic Art
  • Ancient Bronzes

Related Works

Verification Level

This record has been reviewed by the curatorial staff but may be 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