Image

Previous 1 2 / 2 Next

Iranian

Finial, 1400s

Now On View

Description

Maker

Culture

Iranian

Title

Finial

Year

1400s

Medium

Bronze

Materials/Techniques

Materials

Dimensions

13 x 13.3 x 5.1 cm (5 1/8 x 5 5/16 x 2 inches) DDG July 2007

Place

Iran, Timurid Dynasty, ca. 1370–1507

Type

Credit

Mary B. Jackson Fund

Object Number

81.210

Exhibition History

Exhibition History

Asian Art Galleries

Dragons have been featured in metalwork decorations across East and Central Asia since ancient times. Inspired by the majestic demeanor and lithe forms of these mythical beings, metalworkers found creative ways to incorporate them into their designs.

Two dragons chase each other, animating the back of this bronze mirror’s flat, circular frame. The finials in the shape of dragons rising to face each other must have been made even livelier by the lit candles they once held.

Use

The images on this website can enable discovery and collaboration and support new scholarship, and we encourage their use. This object is in the public domain (CC0 1.0). This object is Finial with the accession number of 81.210. To request high-resolution files or new photography, please send an email to imagerequest@risd.edu and include your name and the object's accession number.