18th Century Overdoor Oil Painting on Canvas Depicting "Le Miroir De Buffon" or “L’Optique” After Jacques De LaJoue (1687-1761)

Details

Description

A French 18th Century Overdoor Painting, also know as a “dessus-de-Porte,” on Canvas Depicting "Le Miroir De Buffon,” after the … Read more A French 18th Century Overdoor Painting, also know as a “dessus-de-Porte,” on Canvas Depicting "Le Miroir De Buffon,” after the original by Jacques de LaJoue (1687-1761)
Painted in monochromatic grisaille technique in blues with white highlights on a sun colored background. Framed in a recent custom hand carved 22 carat gilded wood frame.

Buffon’s Mirror was a prominent subject in the intellectual salons of Paris in the 18th century and were frequently depicted in paintings in these rooms. A working model was housed at Versailles but disappeared during the revolution and is this first documented example of the harnessing and use of solar energy. The black and white engraving shown depicts a contemporary view of LaJoue’s original image in print.

The following excerpt from Google AI:

"Le miroir de Buffon," or Buffon's mirrors, were developed in the 18th century by Georges-Louis Leclerc, Comte de Buffon. These mirrors were used to study the reflection of light and were specifically designed to demonstrate the concept of Archimedes' burning mirrors, which were said to have been used to set fire to the Roman fleet. Buffon's mirrors were composed of orientable tinned mirrors, and his experiments in the Jardin du Roi validated Archimedes' legend and challenged Descartes' denial of it.” See less