Mirror with animals of the four directions

Mirror with animals of the four directions

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The iconography of the animals of the four cardinal directions did not become standardized until the end of 1st century B.C. Here, the animal of the north is an imaginary beast with a curling tail and spikes on its back rather than the standard entwined turtle and snake. This suggests that the mirror dates to the mid to late 1st century B.C. The silvery tone of many mirrors is the result of high tin content in the bronze alloy. The added sheen on the tiger and dragon suggest a further manipulation during the casting process.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Mirror with animals of the four directionsMirror with animals of the four directionsMirror with animals of the four directionsMirror with animals of the four directionsMirror with animals of the four directions

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.