Beschreibung:

AN ETRUSCAN BRONZE MIRROR PRAENESTE, CIRCA 4TH-3RD CENTURY B.C. The cast disk mirror with a short flaring extension, the tapering handle rectangular in section, terminating in a stylized animal head, the edges with ovolo and beading, the extension and lower part of the obverse engraved with a palmette and scrolling, the reverse engraved with a bathing scene, depicting three nude female figures gathered around a laver receiving water from a lion-head spout, a vessel suspended from the fountain, one figure standing to the left, sponging her body with a folded cloth in her left hand, her right hand wringing water from her long wavy hair, one standing to the right, holding a strigil in her left hand, pouring water from an oinochoe in her right hand over the head of the kneeling figure washing her hair below, her head lowered as she squeezes excess water from her hair into a bowl, all on a groundline composed of a series of interlocking triangles, a flowering plant framed by volutes below, the scene encircled by laurel 11 9/16 in. (29.4 cm.) high