What is this 'magic mirror' at the Cincinnati Art Museum hiding from you?

Mirrors are designed to reflect the world on their surface.

But this beautiful mirror kept an image hidden beneath its surface for hundreds of years, which has finally been revealed at the Cincinnati Art Museum.

The object was held in the museum's collection for 50 years before the team became aware of the secret it held.

Known as a 'magic mirror' it is made from bronze and was most likely created in China during the 1500's.

The museum's curator of East Asian Art, Dr Hou-mei Sung, discovered a hidden picture on the mirror's surface by shining a light on its polished side at a particular angle.

The light was then reflected by the mirror onto a nearby surface where the image was revealed!

The light revealed the image of a Buddha - leader and creator of one of the world's largest religions, Buddhism

After playing around with different lights and different angles, Dr Sung discovered the image of a Buddha!

On the back of the mirror, the words read "Amitābha Buddha" - a clue to what was hidden all along!

The museum says that crafting a secret image into the mirror is a very tricky technique, and mirrors like the one discovered by Dr Sung are "very rare".

"This is a national treasure for China, and we are so lucky to have rediscovered this rare object and have on view in Cincinnati," said Dr Hou-mei Sung.