19th Century Napoleon III Gilt Bronze Vanity Mirror

Details

Description

This elegant easel vanity mirror dates from the second half of the 19th century and is in the Louis XV … Read more This elegant easel vanity mirror dates from the second half of the 19th century and is in the Louis XV style, a style widely revisited during the Second Empire. Its bronze frame displays a distinctly Rococo vocabulary: shells, C and S scrolls, acanthus leaves, tapered palm fronds, foliate scrolls, and floral motifs modeled in high relief.

The composition is intentionally asymmetrical, characteristic of the Rococo aesthetic. The decoration extends up the left side, and the gracefully curved feet echo the scrollwork of the frame. The openwork contours, the deeply sculpted reliefs, and the near absence of straight lines give the whole piece the exuberant silhouette typical of the Neo-Rococo repertoire.

The glass itself plays a key role in the design: irregularly shaped, it is scalloped to follow the curves of the frame and highlighted by a wide peripheral bevel, which also follows the contour. Today, it exhibits a haze on the silvering, an old alteration preserved in its original state. The reflection remains perfectly legible. To accurately depict this alteration, we have deliberately placed a black surface within its reflection. This is obviously much less noticeable under normal conditions of use.

On the reverse, one can see the metal backing plate, originally attached by small peripheral rivets, two of which are missing. Most notably, the long, articulated, and folding stand allows for adjusting the mirror's angle. Its base also features a rocaille and foliage motif, demonstrating the meticulous attention paid to the object, even in its secondary details.

In conclusion, we adore this small piece of 19th-century extravagance—uncommon, precious without being austere, and delightfully excessive.

Height: 31.5 cm
Width: 21.5 cm
Depth: 10 cm
Weight: 1.3 kg See less