Attributed to the workshop of Baldassare Ubriachi Italian, Venice or Florence, circa 1400

the reverse inscribed: Embriachi Venedig and numbered: 09989 6914 2865 and: No 309 and with labels numbered: W.309 and 67941

Emil Weinberger, Vienna;
his sale, Vienna, 22-24 October 1929, lot 255;
purchased by the grandfather of the present owners

Overall the condition of the mirror is good with wear and dirt to the surface consistent with age and handling. A bone and a wood finial are lost from the top right edge and to the lower right side of the mirror. There are restorations to the inlay of the trapezoid strips below and above the mirror, under the top section, and to its tip. A number of sections, including the mirror and a section to the lower right, have been reattached. Some traces of glue are visible. The gesso backing has restored fissures running along the top of the mirror and through the middle of the main octagon. The mirror has a few minor chips to its edges.The gesso surface is worn smooth consistent with being hung on a wall. The iron mounting loop is slightly warped.
"In response to your inquiry, we are pleased to provide you with a general report of the condition of the property described above. Since we are not professional conservators or restorers, we urge you to consult with a restorer or conservator of your choice who will be better able to provide a detailed, professional report. Prospective buyers should inspect each lot to satisfy themselves as to condition and must understand that any statement made by Sotheby's is merely a subjective, qualified opinion. Prospective buyers should also refer to any Important Notices regarding this sale, which are printed in the Sale Catalogue.
NOTWITHSTANDING THIS REPORT OR ANY DISCUSSIONS CONCERNING A LOT, ALL LOTS ARE OFFERED AND SOLD AS IS" IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE CONDITIONS OF BUSINESS PRINTED IN THE SALE CATALOGUE."

This beautifully carved wall mirror is one of only a handful of its kind known to be in existence. Although the North Italian ivory carving workshops referred to as Embriachi produced a vast number of secular objects, mirror frames are extremely rare. The few surviving examples correspond to the present mirror in both form and decorative scheme: octagonal in shape with a pointed pinnacle containing three ivory plaques with varying motifs, each frame includes plaques depicting winged genii that surround the mirror itself. Like the example in the Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence (inv. no. 125C), the present frame’s crowning panels depict a naked youth, probably the God of Love, and two women in long dresses as worshippers. These mirrors would have been given as luxurious wedding gifts to young couples, whose family arms were then painted on the blank shields at the top of the hexagonal section.

Tomasi (op. cit. 2010, p. 89) attributes only two complete mirrors to the workshop of Baldassare Ubriachi (see note for lot 34); those in the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore (inv. no. 71.92) and in the Kunstgewerbemuseum Museum, Berlin (inv. no. K 9164). The mirror in the Bargello, which is arguably closest in style and iconography to the present example, has been ascribed by Tomasi (op. cit. 2001, p. 28) to the so-called 'Susanna workshop'. However, it has recently been argued (Williamson and Davies op. cit. p. 752) that the existence of the 'Susanna workshop' may be doubted due to its overlaps with the characteristics of pieces attributed to the Ubriachi workshop. A comparison between the present mirror and those in Baltimore and Berlin, which feature almost identical motifs, strengthens this hypothesis. Stylistic similarities and the quality of the carving indicate a common origin from the workshop of Baldassare Ubriachi. The polished steel mirror in the present piece appears to be unique in being octagonal rather than round and is possibly original.

RELATED LITERATURE
M. Tomasi, La Bottega degli Embriachi, cat. Museo Nazionale del Bargello, Florence, 2001; M. Tomasi, Monumenti d'avorio: I dossali degli Embriachi e i loro committenti, Pisa and Paris, 2010; P. Williamson and G. Davies, Medieval Ivory Carvings. 1200-1550. Part II, cat. Victoria and Albert Museum, London, 2014