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Source Description
Cast in high-tin and low-lead bronze by the lost wax method, this mirror has a dark and lustrous patina known as <em>heiqigu</em> (literally, “black lacquer antique”). It bears a design of a coiling dragon among trailing clouds. With a small, elongated head connecting to an S-curve of the neck that is as sinuous as the body and tail, the dragon of the Tang period is unique.
Scholar Source Context
Document identity
localId
159180
label
Mirror with a Coiling Dragon
core
obj
dtoType
object
pageCount
1
Source metadata
id
159180
contentType
object
title
Mirror with a Coiling Dragon
description
Cast in high-tin and low-lead bronze by the lost wax method, this mirror has a dark and lustrous patina known as <em>heiqigu</em> (literally, “black lacquer antique”). It bears a design of a coiling dragon among trailing clouds. With a small, elongated head connecting to an S-curve of the neck that is as sinuous as the body and tail, the dragon of the Tang period is unique.
date
700s
rights
CC0
rightsUri
CC0
language
en
wikidata
Q60739938
genreSpecific
Metalwork
imageCount
1
source
import
dimensionsRaw
Diameter: 10.2 cm (4 in.); Overall: 1.1 cm (7/16 in.); Rim: 0.8 cm (5/16 in.)
cul
China, Tang dynasty (618-907)
accession
1995.367
Source extras
tec
bronze
tombstone
Mirror with a Coiling Dragon (盤龍鏡), 700s. China, Tang dynasty (618-907). Bronze; diameter: 10.2 cm (4 in.); overall: 1.1 cm (7/16 in.); rim: 0.8 cm (5/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee, 1995.367
titleInOriginalLanguage
盤龍鏡
collection
China - Tang Dynasty
didYouKnow
The patina of this mirror is known as <em>heiqigu</em> (literally, “black lacquer antique”).
citations
citation
Chou, Ju-hsi. <em>Circles of Reflection: The Carter Collection of Chinese Bronze Mirrors</em>. Cleveland, Ohio: Cleveland Museum of Art, 2000.
page_number
Reproduced: cat. no. 72, pp. 78, 109, 123
citation
Wang, Eugene Y. "Mirror, Moon, and Memory in Eighth-Century China: From Dragon Pond to Lunar Palace." <em>Cleveland Studies in the History of Art </em>9 (2005): 42-67.
page_number
Mentioned and reproduced: P. 43, fig. 2
citation
Ebrey, Patricia Buckley. <em>Accumulating Culture: The Collections of Emperor Huizong</em>. Seattle: University of Washington Press, 2008.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 194, fig. 6.33
citation
Quette, Béatrice. <em>Cloisonné: Chinese Enamels from the Yuan, Ming, and Qing Dynasties</em>. New York: Bard Graduate Center, 2011.
page_number
Reproduced: p. 132, fig. 7.3
creditline
Gift of Drs. Thomas and Martha Carter in Honor of Sherman E. Lee
updatedAt
2026-05-29 08:14:54.162000
sourceId
159180
dept
Chinese Art
coll
China - Tang Dynasty
med
bronze
thumbnail_url
image_url
Single page context
seq
1
pageIndex
0
type
photo
mediaId
31365d68b7e064ee