Mirror with Incised Design of Buddha Triad

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

In contrast to most bronze mirror decorations, which are molded onto the back of the mirror, this example has a plain back a line drawing of the Buddha attended by two bodhisattvas incised into the cold bronze of the mirror face. While the drawing style preserves the elegant lines and intricacy of the Goryeo pictorial tradition, the pointed ushnisha, or cranial protuberance that symbolizes the Enlightened One's transcendent wisdom, is a stylistic feature associated with Tibetan lamaist sects that were influential during the Joseon dynasty.

Asian Art

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Met's collection of Asian art—more than 35,000 objects, ranging in date from the third millennium B.C. to the twenty-first century—is one of the largest and most comprehensive in the world. Each of the many civilizations of Asia is represented by outstanding works, providing an unrivaled experience of the artistic traditions of nearly half the world.

Metropolitan Museum of Art