March 29, 2024

AndronETalksNews

AndronETalksNews

Curators Discover a Rare Chinese ‘Magic Mirror’—One of Only Three Known in the West—in the Depths of the Cincinnati Art Museum’s Storage

Art Net News

By Vittoria Benzine

Curators at the Cincinnati Art Museum have figured out that an unassuming bronze disc in the museum’s 100,000-strong collection is actually an exceedingly rare magic mirror.

Magic mirrors, also known as transparent or light penetrating mirrors, were first created in China during the Han dynasty (202 BCE–220 CE), according to the museum. “When light is projected on them, the mirrors appear transparent and reveal characters or a decorative design.”

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