TANG DYNASTY (618-907)

Details

A LARGE SILVERED BRONZE 'BEAST AND GRAPE' MIRROR
TANG DYNASTY (618-907)
The circular mirror is cast in high relief with a crouching lion knob encircled with grape vines and six further lions in different postures amidst grapes and vine scrolls. The outer field is decorated with pairs of four different animals including pheasants, cranes, deer and lions amidst similar vine scrolls, within a band of floral designs encircling the rim. The bronze has a silvery patina with areas of malachite encrustation.
6 3/4 in. (17 cm.) diam.

Provenance

A British private collection, first half of the 20th century

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Nick Wilson

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Lot Essay

The lion designs were first seen on bronze mirrors upon the introduction of Buddhism into China, and became very popular in the Tang period. See a mirror with similar central and rim designs in the Palace Museum, Beijing, illustrated in The Palace Museum's Collections of Bronze Mirrors, Beijing, 2008, pl. 33. Compare also to three examples with similar decorative theme but with more lions and mythical beasts in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Shanghai Bowuguan cang qingtong jing, Shanghai, 1987, pls. 83-85.

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