Two Women Looking in Mirrors

Kubo Shunman

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

This composition is activated by a diagonal line formed by the darting gazes of the two women and the spectator. The standing woman looks at the reflection of her face while she also sees the reflection of the back of her head. Instead of looking at the mirror in her own hand, the seated woman gazes at the standing woman. Does she see her own reflection in the mirror that reflects the standing woman's coiffure? Does the standing woman also see a reflection of the seated lady as well as the back of her head? The seated lady holds a mirror, whose verso bears a family crest with two characters combined into a diphthong. Perhaps this wordplay mimicks the theme of overlap and duality conveyed by the use of three mirrors. The poem translates as; "If you use a mirror which reflects ancient time, that will bring you the flawless virtue of the present emperor."

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art