. The life of the Greeks and Romans. nging on the wall appear in numerous vase-paintings ;valuable specimens were kept in cases. Other mirrors could beplaced upright (Fig. 476, d). The handle and the back andborder of the mirror afforded opportunities for engraved or bas-relief ornamentation. At first mirrors were made of a composi-tion of tin and copper; Pasiteles, a contemporary of Pompey, issaid to have introduced silver mirrors. In Plinys time the backof the mirror used to be gilt, which was thought to add to thepower of the reflecting surface. Seneca ( Queest. Nat., I. 17)complains that f
. The life of the Greeks and Romans. nging on the wall appear in numerous vase-paintings ;valuable specimens were kept in cases. Other mirrors could beplaced upright (Fig. 476, d). The handle and the back andborder of the mirror afforded opportunities for engraved or bas-relief ornamentation. At first mirrors were made of a composi-tion of tin and copper; Pasiteles, a contemporary of Pompey, issaid to have introduced silver mirrors. In Plinys time the backof the mirror used to be gilt, which was thought to add to thepower of the reflecting surface. Seneca ( Queest. Nat., I. 17)complains that for one of the large upright gold or silver mirrors,equal in size to a grown-up person (specula totis corporibus paria),larger sums were expended than were given by the State asdowry to the daughters of poor generals. The poorer classes hadto be satisfied with a composition of copper and lead, imitating, orplated with, silver. Numerous specimens of a peculiar kind ofmirror have been found amongst the ruins of the old Praeneste, K K 2. Soo PAINTING AND OTHER TOILET-MYSTERIES. and in several burial-places of Etruria. Their form and orna-mentation distinguishes them from other mirrors. They areknown by the name of Etruscan metal mirrors, and have beendescribed by Gerhard in his work, Die etruskischen Spiegel(4 vols., Berlin, 1838—1869). They are either perfectly round orhave the shape of a pear ; their backs show engravings of mytho-logical or realistic scenes, for the greater part slovenly imitationsof Greek originals ; the treatment of the figures is repulsively softand sensuous ; only few of them have artistic value. Many ofthese mirrors, particularly those found at Pruneste, have beendiscovered together with other toilette articles in cylindrical boxeswith curved lids, made of wood covered with leather and studdedwith metal, or consisting entirely of metal. These boxes, owingto their resemblance to the holy snake-baskets, frequently occur-ring on monuments, have been called m
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