Mirror with Phoenixes, Birds, Butterflies, and Floral Sprays, 700s. This extremely rare pingtuo mirror is coated with a lacquer base inlaid with silver and gold. The decorative patterns, especially the floral arabesques and the phoenixes and birds holding branches in their mouths, have a pronounced Persian and Central Asian flavor. Luxury items like this had been used by the Tang emperor as an imperial gift. A similar example from the Japanese imperial collection of Emperor Shomu was donated by Empress Komyo to the Shoso-in repository of the Todai-ji Temple, Nara, in 756.

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Size: 5026px × 4828px
Photo credit: © Heritage Images / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 618-907, art, bronze, china, cleveland, dynasty, gold, heritage, inlaid, lacquer, metalwork, museum, silver, tang, unknown