MirrorsKorean12th-14th century

Square Mirror with Well-Defined Rim and Scrolling Floral Decor

12th-14th century

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.

Classification

Mirrors

Medium

Cast bronze

Culture

Korean

Period

Koryŏ dynasty, 918-1392

Century

12th-14th century

Division

Asian and Mediterranean Art

Department

Department of Asian Art

Dimensions

L. 9 x W. 9 cm (3 9/16 x 3 9/16 in.)

Provenance

[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.