Overview

The back of this dark brown mirror is coated with black lacquer, and its reflective face is plated with tin. The knob surround takes the form of flower pistils, and the rod support used to make a hole in the knob during casting has left clear traces on the knob surround. Although the mirror is nearly identical in shape and size to Mirror with Cranes, Pine Needles, and Butterflies (EK17-10), the handling of the cranes and pine needles is different. The spatula was used with a light touch, resulting in shallow relief and a smooth surface. Though this mirror appears to have been produced at a similar workshop to EK17-10, the technique used to make this mirror reflects the skill of an individual artisan. Compositions showing both cranes facing inward, toward the knob, and revolving clockwise around it, are extremely rare, and the majority of those of relatively recent manufacture. This example belongs to the oldest class of its type, close in date to EK17-10, probably made in the latter half of the 12th century.