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I was looking for building 125 east 65 th street, hoping that I would soon find any building looking like a museum. Finally, I came upon a building that looks like a rich brownstone in mid-Manhattan. I checked the address to make sure that my eyes were seeing correctly, and for sure, it was the correct place. I had to walk up a small flight of stairs and pass through a doorway that was open.
I only went a couple more feet before a second door that was lock stopped me. There was a white flat small oval elevator type button located next to the door. Pushing the button expecting someone to come to the door, a semi-loud buzzing noise came from the door. Turning the doorknob, I went inside the China Institute Gallery. Straight in front of my eye view were two young Asian girls sitting behind what seem like a gift counter. I asked them where was the Chinese exhibition of mirrors.
They told me that it was in two rooms, which flanked me on my right and left side. The glass doors that lead into the two rooms were smoked color so that you could not see clearly into the rooms. Turning to the door on the left, which was the nearest door when you entered the building. Now, my first thought, mind you was that I was going to see a bunch of glass mirrors, and already I had pertained the thought of how could this exhibition be called an art show? Well, when I open the door was I surprised, for at first glance I thought I had just entered a music museum with gold plated albums? Where was the glass mirrors!
was the first thing that popped in my mind. I looked around the room at all the encase circle looking objects. This room was not a big room in any shape of form. There were no Statues or any other shapes to offset the concentric shapes. The mirrors hanged almost symmetrically around the rooms purple Walls. The purple color gave the room an awe of royalty.
It was a carpeted room with just the proper dash of light that was neither too bright nor too dark. In this room a lovely Asian woman, who I later learned was American Chinese, greeted me. She sat at a reception desk that flanked your left when you entered the room. The desk contained pamphlets of the current exhibition and future events coming to the gallery, and Critique forms that she asked us to fill out later when I finished viewing the exhibition.
She gave me one of the pamphlet entitled Circles of Reflection to help me learn about the collection. Although there was no tour guide available, she was very nice and she gave me an introduction, about the collection. From the receptionist I learned that the early Chinese mirrors were not made from glass but from bronze, and that this collection of mirrors was about 2000 years old. She explained that the pamphlet was very well written and fully of information. Therefore, before continuing to explore the museum, I started thumbing through the pamphlet.
The exhibition, organized by the Cleveland Museum of Art, includes more than 90 Chinese mirrors ranging in time of production from the 6 th century BC to AD 1800, a span of approximately 2, 400 years. They are arranged into five phases: Phase I 5 th century BC- 3 rd century BC Phase II 3 rd century BC- 6 th century AD Phase III Late 6 th century-early 10 th century Phase IV Early 10 th century-late 13 th century Phase V Late 13 th century- 19 th century Functionally, bronze mirrors in China were used for much more than cosmetic purpose. From early times, they were connected to the royal courts, whose patronage promoted their popularity and resulted in ever widening acceptance. Many were intended as gifts and a number of them were regarded as tokens of affection. Mirrors are also known to have played a political role: as tribute to the throne or as an instrument of diplomacy. Some mirrors carried religious significance and still others served mythical or magical purposes.
The bronze mirror had been around for almost 1, 000 years, when the tumultuous Warring States period unfolded and a major advancement in its production occurred. Taking advantage of preceding experimentation in metallurgy and accumulated practical experience in the making of ritual vessels, keen-edged weapons, and sundry artifacts, the bronze smith applied his well-honed expertise in alloy composition and casting techniques to the production of mirrors that fulfilled their function as reflectors of images. The Han Dynasty and later, The bronze mirror had been around for almost 1, 000 years, when the tumultuous Warring States period unfolded and a major advancement in its production occurred. Taking advantage of preceding experimentation in metallurgy and accumulated practical experience in the making of ritual vessels, keen-edged weapons, and sundry artifacts, the bronze smith applied his well-honed expertise in alloy composition and casting techniques to the production of mirrors that fulfilled their function as reflectors of images.
Under the unified rule of the Han dynasty and later the art of mirror design experienced an unprecedented development. During this time, their casting also attained new levels of finesse and exquisiteness, and their imagery shed its former dependence on ritual vessels. Court production led the way, centering on the capitals of Ian and Luoyang. Private workshops notably in such centers as Suzhou, Yngzhou, and Showing-which led to competition for a broader clientele. Inscriptions appeared within the decorative scheme, voicing the various longings of Han people: love, longevity, immortality, peace, and prosperity. Appearing also, mythic animals, gods, and deities, which afforded protection for the mirrors owners and their heirs.
The Sui and Tang dynasties represent the dawning of a new golden age for bronze mirrors. The adoption of cire perdue (lost wax) technique in casting, the continuing effort at articulating animal, plant, and human ivory and the high level of literacy in the inscriptions were all seeds planted in the former dynasty that were to bloom in the latter, accompanied by unprecedented expansion and innovation. The mirrors in this showcase was remarkable excellent in condition, with almost the original bronze color and shine especially the piece called the floral shaped Lobed Mirror with Paired Phoenixes, a Nestling Bird, and a Lotus Blossom imprinted, adoring its beauty. In East Asia, the Liao kingdom of the Qidans, The Song Empire of the Chinese, and the Jin dynasty of the Jurchens contributed to a dynamic era of changing boundaries, military struggles, and ethnic rivalries. In spite of copper shortages, mirrors were still commodity available everywhere. For mirror production, the possibilities were greater than ever.
Stylistically, mirrors from these dynasties shared indebtedness to earlier Tang designs before each developed their own traditions. The Liao and the Song were, perhaps, more willing to go further than the Jin, who nonetheless managed to develop a separate set of traits distinct from those of their rivals. Song mirrors are known for refinement and subtlety, the Liao for clarity and balance and the Jin for vigor. Mirrors from the post-Song periods are less well known than those from any preceding period, Excavations across the whole of China have unearthed mirrors from the tombs of princes and famed scholar officials.
However, given the physical size of China and its surging population during these later periods, such finds have been sporadic. The Carter collection contains some significant Yuan, Ming and Qing mirrors. The major challenge to the Ming and Qing bronze mirrors makers came not from within but from without: the importation of glass mirrors from the West. Lower in cost and possessing extraordinary reflective power, glass mirrors arrived in the Central Kingdom and soon forced their metallic cousins to retreat. Making the Mirrors was made either by casting them in preformed clay molds or molds created by the lost wax method. The metal used is generally an alloy of cooper, tin, and lead.
Adding tin and lead to the cooper from my understanding lowers the melting point and makes the metal easier to pour. The lead also makes grinding and polishing easier. The Clay Mold Technology involved creating a void in the clay in the shape of the mirror and poring the molten metal. The clay was made in two sections. One side, the decorative design for the back and the other side was flat. The Lost Wax technology was first fully modeled in wax to create an exact replica of the bronze mirror.
Next, a wax funnel (sprue) and small tubes (vents) were attached to the model. The wax model with its system of sprues and vents was then encased in clay or clay-like material and fired. Firing hardened the clay mold and melted or burned out the wax, leaving an empty space in the shape of the mirror. After the molten metal solidified, the mold had to be destroyed to retrieve the bronze mirror. This room contains the phase 1 and Phase 2 of the mirror periods.
On the right side of the wall when you walk into the left room, is the first encasement of 15 mirrors from Warring Period. On the back wall, two more glass cases that sit on opposite sides of a Chinese picture. Each case contained 5 mirrors encased from the Eastern Han and the front wall had three mirrors from the three kingdoms, a map of China, and the receptionist desk. In the middle of the room on a dark brown stand was a case with a mirror with a handle flanked by two small mirrors stands in the shape of animals.
The mirror stand on the left was an image of an ox. The mirror on the right was an image of a Djeiran. This one piece drew my attention it had a rust green color and the head of the animal was looking backwards and up towards the front of the mirror. The mirror in the case had a handle four nipples equal place around the mirror, and animals as decorations as its cover illustrations. In the Second room was the mirrors of the third and fourth phase. It was in this room I founded the pieces that interested me the most because the pieces here seemed better preserved and showed their true original beauty.
There was less rust on these pieces maybe because they were kept in the royal palace. The most of the mirrors were decorated with scribed pictures of animals, plants, and motif designs, landscape and of Immortals. Whereas in the first room most of the mirrors were round, the second room showed the variations that sprung from the other dynasties. There was a miniature square mirror with a motif cover illustration from the Tang dynasty.
The best mirror that I saw was a Lobed Mirror with a tortoise Knob. The cover illustration was of a musician and a phoenix. It had an inscription that read: I received a gift. The mirror of the king of Qin For this, I would have paid willing a thousand taels of silver In no way would I use it to unveil your hidden desires, Verily, I only wish to lay bare my own heart To think that man was so creative some long ago and accomplishing the very desires of the hearts design.
today modern technology of such only take seconds to reproduce many. but the designs of long ago remain unique forever.
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Research essay sample on Review Of The Carter Collection Chinese Bronze Mirrors
