Images(2)

Looking Glass, one of pair

Dateca. 1725

OriginEngland

MediumDeal, gesso, gold, glass, and brass

DimensionsOH: 60"; OW: 26"

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1990-223,1

DescriptionThe object is a looking glass of four major components: an ornamental crest, an ornamental outer frame, a structural inner frame, and silvered glass. Both structural and ornamental portions of the frames are deal (probably spruce). The show portions are gold leaf on red bole over gesso. The crest is ornamented with a central tripartite plume motif (similar to a Prince-of-Wales plume, except that the central "plume" is a three-lobed projection of strapwork with a punched background rather than an ostrich plume). The central motif is flanked by two smaller versions interspersed with shallow-relief foliate and strapwork carving on a punched ground. The bottom rail is decorated with a carving on a punched ground. The bottom rail is decorated with a central carved convex scallop shell flanked by foliate carving and two copper alloy sconces. The looking glass consists of a rectangular bottom glass below a smaller glass shaped to conform to the upper portion of the frame. A thin gilt molding surrounds the two glasses and separates them from an outer register of seven narrow glasses, their joints covered with gilt sanded paper. All glass pieces are beveled and silvered.