Mirror with Handle in the Form of Papyrus Column, with Large Umbel
Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art
Egyptian artisans showed unparalleled skill in using religious symbolism for the design and decoration of everyday objects such as mirrors. The elliptical shape of this polished bronze mirror is typical, representing the appearance of the sun as it rises over the horizon at dawn. The papyrus-inspired handle symbolizes the sun's emergence from the primordial swamp that marked the transition between this world and the afterlife while defining the landscape of creation. As the disk reflected sunlight, it implied the promise of daily renewal.
MEDIUM
Bronze
DATES
ca. 2040–1801 B.C.E.
DYNASTY
Dynasty 11 to Dynasty 12
PERIOD
Middle Kingdom
DIMENSIONS
9 1/4 × 4 15/16 in. (23.5 × 12.5 cm)
(show scale)
ACCESSION NUMBER
05.321
CREDIT LINE
Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund
CATALOGUE DESCRIPTION
Bronze mirror with handle in the form of papyrus column, with large umbel.
Condition: Entire piece covered with light green patina. Faint traces of matting or textile remaining on upper part of handle. Lightly incised feather on each side of umbel.
MUSEUM LOCATION
This item is not on view
CAPTION
Mirror with Handle in the Form of Papyrus Column, with Large Umbel, ca. 2040–1801 B.C.E. Bronze, 9 1/4 × 4 15/16 in. (23.5 × 12.5 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund, 05.321. Creative Commons-BY (Photo: Brooklyn Museum, CUR.05.321_wwgA-1.jpg)
IMAGE
installation, West Wing gallery A-1 installation,
CUR.05.321_wwgA-1.jpg. Brooklyn Museum photograph, 2005
"CUR" at the beginning of an image file name means that the image was created by a curatorial staff member. These study images may be digital point-and-shoot photographs, when we don\'t yet have high-quality studio photography, or they may be scans of older negatives, slides, or photographic prints, providing historical documentation of the object.
RIGHTS STATEMENT
Creative Commons-BY
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