Square Mirror with Three Chinese Bellflowers Crest Pattern 三盛桔梗文方鏡ミツモリキキョウモンホウキョウ
Description
The engraving of a family crest characterizes this mirror. The use of family crests in Japan stems from an ancient aristocratic custom. When Heian nobility commissioned oxcarts, furniture, etc., they incorporated favored objects of their family into a design motif. After generations, the motif developed into a family crest. With the rise of warlords, family crests became indispensable to distinguish friend from foe on battlefields. During the Edo Period, the popularity of family crests spread among the merchant class and lay people, an occurrence which is reflected in the mirrors of the day.
Data source
Keio Object Hub
Keio University has a diverse collection of cultural assets that have been assembled over its 160-year history. These collections are housed and used not only in libraries and research institutes, but...
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Keio University
Over the course of its 160-year-plus history, Keio University has accumulated a vast collection of cultural artifacts from a diverse range of academic spheres. These collections are held and used not only in Keio’s libraries and research institutes but also at its undergraduate faculties, affiliated schools, and various other locations on campus, and a rich array of databases for the collections have been compiled reflecting the expertise of these respective institutions. Now, Keio Museum Commons (KeMCo) has developed the Keio Object Hub portal site, which provides a comprehensive overview of art and culture at Keio University.
Last updated
October 16, 2022