MADAO Collab w/Ihp

Artwork's Title

OFFICE DESIGNATION: MAN-898

Mirror_MET_36.3.13_01-09-05-04.jpg

MAN-898 after being studied by a student, before getting placed back in its case.



Author: Unknown

Date: 15th Century B.C.E.

Location: Egypt, likely Yamu. Discovered near Luxor.

Dimensions: (The dimensions of the work)

Technique: Cast and polished bronze.

Place of Exposition: Philadelphia Archives, East Wing, Second Floor.

Description: The item is a bronze mirror dating to the Late Kingdom of Egypt, believed to have been made during the life of the pharaoh Hatshepsut. Despite its advanced age, the surface is still capable of rendering a reflection. Feather-like engravings are present in the face of the mirror, distorting the reflection, and making the individual within appear furred.

Exceptionalities: Beyond the feathering, the reflection has an exceptional distortive quality; individuals viewing it will see reflections of themselves as having animal-like features such as fur, snouts, whiskers, scales, gills, wings, and beaks. Each individual reflected is a different animal, but the reflection remains consistent between uses. Furthermore, outside of some wear from age, the object appears to be indestructible, or at least highly resilient to damage.

Conservation: Due to the resiliency of the item, it has been placed under relatively low security inside a glass case, with access available to all Academy personnel and students. In particular, students who are taking drawing classes are encouraged to view the mirror and attempt to draw themselves as they appear within, for purposes of learning abstract and non-human forms.

Critical Judgment: (A brief consideration of the critical-artistic character of the object and on the value attributed to it by the Academy)

Name of the Critic


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