China, Tang dynasty (618-907) / 700s
Mirror with a Coiling Dragon
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs Mirror with a Coiling Dragon as metalwork (China, Tang dynasty (618-907) · 700s).
The patina of this mirror is known as heiqigu (literally, “black lacquer antique”).
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this metalwork as bronze.
The museum's collection notes: Cast in high-tin and low-lead bronze by the lost wax method, this mirror has a dark and lustrous patina known as heiqigu (literally, “black lacquer antique”). It bears a design of a coiling dragon among trailing clouds. With a small, elongated head connecting to an S-curve of the neck that is as sinuous as the body and tail, the dragon of the Tang period is unique.
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The Cleveland Museum of ArtMirror with a Coiling DragonOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.