Mirror with the animals of the four directions

Object Details

• Description

  A mirror. Surface: glossy black patina on the back; brilliant black clouded with green on the face. Decoration: in relief.

• Provenance

  To 1937

  J.W.A. Kleykamp, New York. [1]

  From 1937

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from J.W.A. Kleykamp, New York. [2]

  Notes:

  [1] Curatorial Remark 1 in the object record.

  [2] See note 1.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

  Personal Luxuries in Early China (July 7, 1998 to January 3, 2016)

  Chinese Art (February 18, 1983 to April 1, 1987)

  Chinese Art (March 15, 1982 to June 15, 1982)

  Chinese Art (January 1, 1963 to March 6, 1981)

  Chinese Bronze, Jade, Metalwork (March 1, 1957 to January 1, 1963)

  Centennial Exhibition, Galleries 14 and 15 (February 25, 1956 to March 1, 1957)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork and Painting, East Corridor (February 15, 1955 to August 26, 1955)

  Special Mirror Exhibition (November 16, 1954 to February 25, 1955)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1946 (May 7, 1946 to February 25, 1956)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Art, 1944 (November 15, 1944 to May 6, 1946)

  Untitled Exhibition, Ancient Chinese Art, 1943 (March 22, 1943 to November 17, 1944)

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Metalwork (March 14, 1931 to March 22, 1943)

  Stone Sculpture, Buddhist Bronze, and Chinese Painting (May 2, 1923 to February 25, 1956)

• Previous custodian or owner

  J.W.A. Kleykamp

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Mirror

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

  There are restrictions for re-using this media. For more information, visit the Smithsonian's Terms of Use page.

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  100s, 200s

• Name

  Kleykamp, J.W.A.

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Art, Animals, Chinese Art, The four directions, Birds, Tortoise, Snakes, Dragon, Tiger, Han dynasty (206 BCE - 220 CE)

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Mirrors