Mirror
Brooklyn Museum photograph
Object Label
This thin cast bronze mirror has a perforated central boss from which to hang a cord. Framed in the center of the mirror are four mythical and auspicious animals: a dragon, a tiger, a deer, and a two-headed bird. The dragon, in addition to symbolizing the ruler, has the power to repel evil spirits and control natural phenomena such as floods and droughts. The tiger represents valor and courage as well as protection from disease. The deer is a symbol of longevity and friendship. The bird refers not merely to a prosperous future but to immortality itself, as the deceased might fly, symbolically, on its back to heaven.
Caption
Mirror, 5th–6th century. Bronze, 4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Dr. and Mrs. John P. Lyden, 2010.85.1. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, 2010.85.1_PS11.jpg)
Collection
Collection
Title
Mirror
Date
5th–6th century
Period
Three Kingdoms Period
Geography
Place made: Korea
Medium
Bronze
Classification
Dimensions
4 1/2 in. (11.4 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Dr. and Mrs. John P. Lyden
Accession Number
2010.85.1
Rights
Creative Commons-BY
You may download and use Brooklyn Museum images of this three-dimensional work in accordance with a Creative Commons license. Fair use, as understood under the United States Copyright Act, may also apply. Please include caption information from this page and credit the Brooklyn Museum. If you need a high resolution file, please fill out our online application form (charges apply). For further information about copyright, we recommend resources at the United States Library of Congress, Cornell University, Copyright and Cultural Institutions: Guidelines for U.S. Libraries, Archives, and Museums, and Copyright Watch. For more information about the Museum's rights project, including how rights types are assigned, please see our blog posts on copyright. If you have any information regarding this work and rights to it, please contact copyright@brooklynmuseum.org.
Frequent Art Questions
I see two mirrors on display. Am I seeing the back?
Yes, you are seeing the back. The other side of this bronze mirror would be highly polished to create the reflective surface.
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