China, Ming Dynasty, 1368 to 1644 CE, probably later in the period. A cast bronze mirror with a decorated side divided into four panels, each depicting an erotic scene. In the center of the decorated side is a small, raised knob perforated to allow the mirror to be suspended, perhaps as part of its owners' attire. Each scene shows a different sexual position between two individuals, three of them set on a bed, the fourth in a chair. The other side of the mirror is smooth. Size: 2.4" W x 2.45" H (6.1 cm x 6.2 cm)

The later part of the Ming Dynasty saw an explosion of explicit eroticism, both in literature and in representative art. Erotic subject matter became common on small bronze mirrors. Courtesans, brothels, and even homosexual relationships were all depicted, and the images on a mirror like this one may reference a popular literary work.

Provenance: private East Coast, USA collection

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#122663

Dark patina over surface. Handwritten accession number in white on lower corner of smooth surface.