A Régence verre eglomisé and pietra paesina mounted giltwood mirror, early 18th century

Christie's London, Important European Furniture, Sculpture and Tapestries Including Reflected Glory: A Private Collection of Magnificent Mirrors, 6 July 2006, lot 185

The present mirror is a fine and rare example of the short-lived fashion for verre eglomisé (i.e. applying both design and gilding to the reverse of glass) in France in the early 1700s and of the taste for ‘chinoiserie’ promoted by French designers and makers from the late 17^th century.

The design for this mirror’s borders reflecting the chinoiserie style needs to be examined through the historical lens of the relations between China and France. Indeed, since the reception at the French Court of the ambassadors of the King of Siam in 1686 which marked the beginning of the interest of the court for the artistic productions of China, many French expeditions to China were launched. From the later, many fathers brought back illustrations, travel stories or texts on Chinese culture such as Historical portrait of the Emperor of China presented at the Roy by the father Joachim Bouvet (1697), Confucius sinarum Philosophus translated by several Jesuit missionaries (1687) or the New briefs on the present state of China by Father Louis the Count (1696).

The illustrations in these publications, sometimes merely European interpretations and imitations of Chinese lifestyles, are at the heart of the chinoiserie style and have undeniably inspired French artists from the late 17^th century and ultimately the design for this mirror. A further publication of influence which may have also been an inspiration for the mirror’s borders was that of Johan Nieuhof (An embassy from the East-India Company, 1669).

A mirror with almost identical borders was sold at Sotheby's Monaco, 15 June 1996, lot 129. A further example for verre eglomise borders was sold Sotheby's, Monaco, 24 June 1984, lot 3046.