The Cleveland Museum of Art

Collection Online as of December 13, 2025

TLV Mirror

1–early 200s CE

China, Eastern Han dynasty

(25–220 CE)
bronze
Diameter: 14.2 cm (5 9/16 in.); Overall: 1 cm (3/8 in.); Rim: 0.6 cm (1/4 in.)
Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee 1995.296
Location: Not on view

Description

The mirror was cast in a ceramic mold. The center knob and nipples were polished with a bow drill, the raised flat areas of decoration were polished and a chisel was used to smooth the square channel. The mirror was broken into five pieces that are now joined with lead tin solder. Dirt was applied to hide the joins.
  • Thomas and Martha Carter, Madison, WI
  • Madison, Wisconsin: Elvehjem Museum of Art, University of Wisconsin-Madison; December 20, 2003-February 29, 2004. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors".
    Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (September 17-November 26, 2000); Elvehjem Museum of Art, Madison, WI (December 20, 2003-February 29, 2004).
    Cleveland, Ohio: The Cleveland Museum of Art; September 17-November 26, 2000. "Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors." exh. cat. pp. 106, 114-115.
  • {{cite web|title=TLV Mirror|url=false|author=|year=1–early 200s CE|access-date=13 December 2025|publisher=Cleveland Museum of Art}}

Source URL:

https://www.clevelandart.org/art/1995.296