A Pair of Giltwood Wall Mirrors

A Pair of Giltwood Wall Mirrors

Cm 67 x3

A pair of carved giltwood wall mirrors, in the Italian Baroque taste of the late XVIII and early XIX century. The shaped arched frames carry richly carved piercings of opposing C and S scrolls and acanthus leaves, with a pierced foliate crown and a small medallion near the top. The original mercury plate mirrors show the characteristic oxidation and foxing of age, lending each glass a softly clouded surface that catches the light; one plate carries a diagonal crack at centre. The gilding has never been restored, with warm worn patches and a fine craquelure. The two frames are closely matched in design but slightly asymmetrical in their proportions, as typical of hand carving in the period.