A Régence giltwood mirror 'à parecloses', circa 1720
No reserve
Estimate
8,000 - 12,000 EUR
Lot Details
Description
decorated with scrolls, foliage, and flowers, topped with a wide pediment centered with a stylized shell, and adorned on either side with two eagles
185 x 105 cm (environ) ; 72 3 /4 x 41 1/3 in approx
During the Regency period, mirrors became a major feature within interiors, characterised by more supple and lively shapes than under Louis XIV, thus foreshadowing the Louis XV style. Marchands merciers played an essential role in this evolution: as true tastemakers, they coordinated the skills of craftsmen and encouraged innovation in design, particularly through the combination of carved and giltwood, mirror plates and varnish or lacquer decorations. Through their efforts, the Regency mirror became both a functional and highly decorative object, emblematic of the artistic renewal of the early 18th century.
A similar mirror is illustrated in S. Roche, Miroirs. Galerie et Cabinets de glaces, Paris, 1956, pl. 63.