Description:
Europa with flying robes riding a bull

Label Text:
Unlike modern mirrors, which produce a clear reflection, ancient mirrors were highly polished discs of silver or bronze that produced a less distinct image. While some ancient mirrors had handles, the most common mirrors were similar to modern compacts, with the mirror held inside a decorated hinged case, like the one illustrated below.

These mirror covers were often decorated with mythological figures or romantic scenes. This cover illustrates the capture of Europa, a Phoenician princess. The bull on which she rides is Zeus, king of the gods, in disguise as he carries her across the Mediterranean Sea to the island of Crete.

Link to share this object record:
https://museums.fivecolleges.edu/detail.php?t=objects&type=ext&id_number=SC+1995.24

Research on objects in the collections, including provenance, is ongoing and may be incomplete. If you have additional information or would like to learn more about a particular object, please email fc-museums-web@fivecolleges.edu.