Peru, Moche Cast Copper Gilt Handled Mirror Surrounded by Ten Pumas
Hand-held mirrors are rare from any Peruvian cultures, and those few that are known are carved from wood, except one other gilt copper one that is in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Mirrors were important objects for high status individuals and symbolized the power of the sun. Both mirrors were found at the Loma Negra site of far North Peru, excavated in the 1960’s, and were made by the same workshop. The mirrors have different themes: the Met’s with birds, and this one with felines.
Both mirrors were constructed in the same manner - cast frames are mechanically attached to the handle with a separate sheet of copper backing to hold pyrite mirror fragments in place. The Met’s mirror has lost most of its original gilding. This mirror has more of the original gilt surface intact and has a reconstructed mirror of ancient pyrite, whereas the Met’s mirror was restored with wax and coated with silver foil. The felines surrounding the frame were individually modeled and cast as one with the frame, an extremely difficult technical accomplishment. Each puma has carved turquoise eyes. The few other known mirrors with handles which have been found were carved from wood. There are no other known mirrors with metal frames according to Dr. Christopher Donnan formerly at UCLA and the world expert on Moche Art.
To read an essay about this mirror, click here.
Media: Metal
Dimensions: Height: 9 1/4"(23.5cm) x Width: 5"(12.6cm)
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