19th Century French Napoleon III Period Regence Style Gilded Mantel Mirror

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A 19th century French Napoleon III period gilded mirror, as luminous today as when it first graced a Parisian salon. … Read more A 19th century French Napoleon III period gilded mirror, as luminous today as when it first graced a Parisian salon. An elegant arched crown, pierced and fully three dimensional, rises above the glass in scrolling acanthus leaves, a central palmette and floral sprays. A bold egg and dart molding and a delicate line of beading embrace the reflection, and at the base, garlands of flowers tumble into curling acanthus at each corner, carrying the eye in one continuous, graceful movement.
Molded by hand, then gilded with gold leaf over a gesso ground in the time honored manner of Parisian gilders, the frame reveals warm ochre gleaming through the gold leaf, creating depth and a beautiful patina achieved over more than a century. The gilding glows softly in candlelight and morning sun.
Under Napoleon III, Paris was rebuilt along Baron Haussmann's grand boulevards, and the elegant new apartments rising there called for a tall gilded mirror above nearly every marble fireplace. Second Empire craftsmen drew on the sinuous curves of Louis XIV and Louis XV, reviving and reinterpreting the baroque and rococo as part of the 19th century celebration of all French styles and the refined legacy of French decorative arts.
Above a mantel, the mirror gathers firelight and candlelight and returns it to the room, doubling the glow of an evening in a living room or salon. Placed over a console in an entry, it welcomes guests with a gleam of gold, and above a sideboard in the dining room it brings light, height and a sense of occasion to every gathering.
Circa 1870.
Measures 63.5H x 43W x 6.5D
Available at Inessa Stewart's Antiques, Dallas Design District, Dallas, Texas. See less