Mirror Handle (Primary Title)

Unknown (Artist)

1550-1295 BC
Egyptian (New Kingdom, Dynasty 18)
Bronze
Overall: 4 1/8 × 3 × 5/8 in. (10.48 × 7.62 × 1.59 cm)
Overall (with stand): 4 7/8 × 3 × 1 1/2 in. (12.38 × 7.62 × 3.81 cm)
2023.38

The slender female form incorporated into this mirror handle stands with her feet together and hands pressed against her thighs in a far less abstract manner than the nearby female terracotta statuette.

Mirror handles in the form of young girls represented fertility and served as symbols of rebirth. These handles supported reflective discs of polished bronze that evoked the rising sun, another symbol of resurrection.

Arthur and Margaret Glasgow Endowment

Some object records are not complete and do not reflect VMFA's full and current knowledge. VMFA makes routine updates as records are reviewed and enhanced.