Inscribed mirror with legendary figures

Object Details

• Provenance

  In 1939

  C. T. Loo & Company, New York from May 24, 1939 [1]

  From 1939

  Freer Gallery of Art, purchased from C. T. Loo & Company on November 30, 1939 [2]

  Notes:

  [1] See C. T. Loo's stockcard no. 86423: "Mirror. Decorated on the edge with a flat register of birds, animals and flower motives. In the center low registers in low relief of human figures, animals and pagodas, toward the border a narrow register of characters with Taoist inscriptions. Diam 6 ¾. Han," C. T. Loo & Frank Caro Archive, Musée Guimet, Paris, copy in object file. The mirror was shipped to the Freer Gallery in November 1939, see Loo's Approval Memo, dated November 6, 1939, copy in object file.

  [2] See C. T. Loo's invoice, dated November 30, 1939, copy in object file.

• Collection

  Freer Gallery of Art Collection

• Exhibition History

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

  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 Metalwork, Pottery, and Painting (March 23, 1944 to May 2, 1946)

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

  Untitled Exhibition, Chinese Painting and Metalwork, 1943 (October 4, 1943 to March 23, 1944)

• Previous custodian or owner

  C.T. Loo & Company (1914-1948)

• Origin

  China

• Credit Line

  Purchase — Charles Lang Freer Endowment

• Type

  Mirror

• Restrictions and Rights

  Usage Conditions Apply

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Keep Exploring

• Related Resources

  collections.si.edu

• Date

  200s, 400s

• Name

  C.T. Loo & Company

• Place

  China

• Topic

  Bronze, Period of Division (220 - 589), Art, Sculpture, Chinese Art, Metal-work

• Culture

  Chinese

• Object Type

  Mirrors