Superb mirror with glazing, Parisian work around 1765

Dimensions : H. 165 x L. 82 cm

This mirror is a neoclassical Parisian work in lime wood carved and gilded with the leaf. This period, which is called the transition between the Louis XV and Louis XVI periods, is characterized by a return of symmetry and ornamentation drawn from the repertoires of ancient Greece.

While marquetry chests of drawers have illustrated Neoclassicism in great numbers, there are very few mirrors from this particular period, especially of this quality. The model of this mirror is both rich and perfectly balanced. The sculpture is varied, abundant, vigorous and very much in relief. At the cushion - or capital - a vase with torso flutes hosts a rich bouquet of roses and foliage. The volutes and moldings are powerful and composed of infinitely varied ornaments. The sculpture of the ribbons, bows, and seven garlands of water leaves and flowers is of rare finesse.

The state of conservation of this mirror is also exceptional. The mirrors are all original, as is the parquet flooring at the back, and all the carved parts. The gilding has been restored, notably to remove the few poor quality restorations made in the 19th century, and to recover the original gilding which is preserved at more than 90%. The proportions are typical of this period, with a more elongated line than in the preceding Regency and Louis XV periods. This mirror, beyond its utilitarian function, is a piece realized by a very great sculptor. It is rare that such a work, by essence extremely fragile, reaches us in its original state after some 260 years.