Small Mirror with Handle in Form of Nude Girl

Title:

Small Mirror with Handle in Form of Nude Girl

Date:

ca. 1292-1190 B.C.E. or later

Description:

Flat circular metal (see below) mirror disc and handle in the form of a female with upraised arms. Dark reddish brown copper disc cast and hammered; obverse silvered. Defects in casting show on obverse and reverse as irregular depressed blackish areas. Edges of varying thicknesses show natural hammering. Handle in form of slender female with long legs and feet together forming base for missing tang (?). Round face of female simply modeled with sweet-smiling expression and wearing cap or wig which merges into support for mirror disc. "Arms" as stylized loops swung up also reaching support for mirror disc. Handle cast in two part mold. Marks of coarse polishing over much of back and upper part of handle. Hole drilled in top to receive tang of mirror disc. Cast defect visible on back of left leg. Handle is copper alloyed with silver. Condition: Intact. Except for tang below handle which has been broken off. Light striations over surfaces due to coarse polishing. Slight imperfections of surface also due to original casting, particularly on rear left leg of female-handle and in patches of mirror disc. Generally dark surface with lighter golden-reddish patches. Crack in disc runs up at diagonal from lower left edge of obverse ca. 1.6 cm.

Type:

Cosmetic

Geographic region:

Egypt

Time period:

New Kingdom

Provenance:

Charles Edwin Wilbour Fund

Medium:

Bronze

Extent:

6 1/4 x 2 11/16 x 1/2 in. (15.9 x 6.9 x 1.2 cm)

Rights:

Creative Commons-BY

Identifier:

Accession Number: 37.636E

Is part of:

Egyptian, Classical, Ancient Near Eastern Art

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