Mirror
13th century (made)
| Place of origin |
The first mirrors to be used in Japan were imported from Korea and China and it was not until the 4th century AD that the Japanese began to make their own, cast from bronze. The mirror faces were polished and, from the 11th century, made more reflective by applying a thin layer of tin. They were lifted and held by a cord which was passed through a hole in the raised boss, which often took the form of a tortoise, on the center back.
At first, Japanese mirrors were close copies of Chinese and Korean originals, but by the 11th century mirrors with distinctively Japanese designs were being made. The decoration of two small birds and pine trees by the sea-shore on the back of this 13th-century mirror shows how formal Chinese designs were replaced by naturalistic subjects.
At first, Japanese mirrors were close copies of Chinese and Korean originals, but by the 11th century mirrors with distinctively Japanese designs were being made. The decoration of two small birds and pine trees by the sea-shore on the back of this 13th-century mirror shows how formal Chinese designs were replaced by naturalistic subjects.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Cast bronze |
| Brief description | Mirror, cast bronze, Japan, 13th century |
| Physical description | Circular cast bronze mirror with images of two hares, two small birds and autumn plants. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | Purchased from a source not recorded in the Asia Department registers, accessioned in 1901. This acquisition information reflects that found in the Asia Department registers, as part of a 2022 provenance research project. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The first mirrors to be used in Japan were imported from Korea and China and it was not until the 4th century AD that the Japanese began to make their own, cast from bronze. The mirror faces were polished and, from the 11th century, made more reflective by applying a thin layer of tin. They were lifted and held by a cord which was passed through a hole in the raised boss, which often took the form of a tortoise, on the center back. At first, Japanese mirrors were close copies of Chinese and Korean originals, but by the 11th century mirrors with distinctively Japanese designs were being made. The decoration of two small birds and pine trees by the sea-shore on the back of this 13th-century mirror shows how formal Chinese designs were replaced by naturalistic subjects. |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 718-1901 |
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| Record created | January 7, 2000 |
| Record URL |
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