TANG DYNASTY (618-907)

Details

A RARE SILVERED BRONZE 'LION 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 four further lions, the outer field with nine birds amidst similar vine scrolls, below a band of floral designs. The bronze has silvery patina.
4 7/8 in. (12.5 cm.) diam., Japanese wood box

Provenance

A Japanese private collection, acquired in the 1980s

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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. Compare two very large examples (24 cm diam.) with similar decoration but with additional lions surrounding the knob in the Shanghai Museum, illustrated in Shanghai Bowuguan cang qingtong jing, Shanghai, 1987, pls. 84-85.

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