Venetian mirror from the first half of the 18th century

Carved and gilded wood, decorated with polychrome lacquer on a dark green background, mother-of-pearl inlays, gilded leaf scrolls, and flowers. Contemporary mirror.

Dimensions: 104 x 81 cm

In excellent condition

In the most valuable examples, such as the mirror presented here, floral motifs are combined with mother-of-pearl inlays, recalling the Namban lacquer technique of 16th-century Japan.

Due to its decoration and ornamentation with plant motifs, it belongs to a select group of known examples, including:

– A mirror preserved in the collections of the Museum of Decorative Arts in Trieste, illustrated in C. Alberici.

– The example with a pediment, illustrated in C. Santini, Mille Mobili Veneti, 2002, vol. III, p. 246, fig. 423.

Comparative bibliography:

Alberici, Il Mobile Veneto, Electa editrice, Milan, 1980, p. 159.

Child, Les Miroirs, 1650-1900, Flammarion, p. 261, fig. 546.

Venice, closely linked to the Orient through its trade, adopted lacquer decoration very early. Developed starting in the 17th century, the technique reached its peak in the 18th century. Initially, chinoiserie-style designs were created in gold on a black or red background, imitating Oriental lacquers. Venetian lacquerers gradually distanced themselves from these models and invented a truly independent style.