TANG DYNASTY (618-907)

细节

A SILVERY BRONZE OCTALOBED MIRROR
TANG DYNASTY (618-907)
Cast in relief with a scaly, three-clawed dragon leaping amidst vaporous clouds, its head turned and jaws open as if to grasp the central knob, with silvery patina and areas of green encrustation
6 1/8 in. (15.6 cm.) across

来源

Acquired in Palm Springs, California, November 1996.

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拍品专文

The type of dragon seen on this mirror, with its distinct features including the elongated, horned head, long neck, legs set wide apart, and tail wrapped around the left back leg, appears to be unique to the Tang dynasty. It can be seen on large mirrors which began to appear around the mid-8th century. Another larger (27.8 cm.) eight-lobed mirror finely cast with a similar dragon striding amidst vaporous clouds, but within a line border in the Donald H. Graham, Jr. Collection, is illustrated by Toru Nakano, Bronze Mirrors from Ancient China, Hong Kong, 1994, pp. 238-9, no. 89. As with the present mirror, the dragon's jaws are opened wide as if to grasp the central knob.