ITEM: Mirror MATERIAL: Bronze CULTURE: Chinese, Han dynasty PERIOD: 3rd Century B.C - 3rd Century A.D DIMENSIONS: 71 mm diameter CONDITION: Good condition PROVENANCE: Ex French private collection, acquired between 1970 - 1990 Comes with Certificate of Authenticity and Export license The Han dynasty bronze mirror (202 BCE – 220 CE) represents one of the highest achievements of ancient Chinese metallurgy and artistic expression. Cast from a high-tin bronze alloy, these circular objects featured a smooth, highly polished face on one side that reflected light, while the reverse side was decorated with intricate low-relief relief motifs, cosmological symbols, and auspicious inscriptions. A central perforated knob, or boss, allowed a silk cord to be threaded through for handling or hanging on clothing and stands. During the Han period, advancements in piece-mold casting permitted unprecedented precision, turning everyday vanity items into sophisticated works of luxury art owned by elites and commoners alike. Iconographically, the reverse of a Han mirror served as a miniature microcosm reflecting Han views on the universe, mythology, and immortality. The most famous variant is the "TLV" mirror, named for geometric motifs resembling the letters T, L, and V, which mapped out the celestial directions, the square earth, and the round heavens. Surrounding these symbols are depictions of the Four Sacred Animals—the Azure Dragon of the East, Vermilion Bird of the South, White Tiger of the West, and Black Tortoise of the North—interspersed with Daoist deities, immortals, and cloud scrolls. Inscribed poetry around the outer rims often wished the owner wealth, long life, noble offspring, and protection from evil spirits. Beyond their practical use for personal grooming, Han bronze mirrors held profound spiritual and funerary significance. Believed to possess the magical ability to repel darkness, ward off malevolent forces, and capture divine light, they were widely interred in tombs alongside the deceased. Positioned over the chest or near the head, the mirror acted as a spiritual beacon, warding off demonic spirits and guiding the soul of the departed through the afterlife. Today, preserved in collections worldwide, Han mirrors stand as enduring symbols of ancient Chinese philosophy, aesthetics, and cosmological belief.