Antique French Hand-Carved Giltwood Wall Mirror | Louis XV Rococo, 18th Century

Miroir Bois Sculpté Doré

17 3/4" H × 12 1/2" W

A hand-carved giltwood wall mirror in the Louis XV Rococo tradition, France, 18th century or very early 19th century. Carved entirely in wood — bois sculpté — without gesso, which accounts for the crispness and depth of the carving. The surround is animated throughout with C-scrolls, a shell cartouche at the base, acanthus leaves, and a floral crest. The original mercury mirror plate is intact. The gilding is unrestored original, with the natural variation and warmth that no modern re-gilding can replicate. The wire hanging loop is period and original to the frame. The aging throughout is unfakeable and entirely integral to the object's value.

Hang alone on a plaster or paneled wall where the carving can be read in raking light. Exceptional in a powder room, above a mantel, or as a focal point on a gallery wall. The intimate scale rewards close attention.