1780s Louis XVI Pareclose Giltwood Mirror With Ornate Crest

A truly exceptional late-18th century French Louis XVI parclose, or cushion, mirror, in an elaborate, richly carved giltwood frame. This rectangular mirror is embellished on all four sides with beautifully hand-carved classical designs, including swirling sprays of acanthus and flower-filled baskets at each top corner, and a gleaming sunflower at the lower centre apron, flanked by Greek keys at each lower corner. The elaborate crest consists of an ornate and classically shaped urn, beautifully framed within an acanthus garland. The rectangular glass plate is enclosed all round within a border of decorative beading, and the mirror stands on two acanthus-styled legs. 'Pareclose' mirrors such as this lovely example date from a time before mirror glass could be made in large sections. Instead, smaller plates were joined together within slender frames to increase the mirrored surface available, and offering a multitude of different reflections. Mirrors of this quality and grandeur would have always been displayed in the most public areas of a home, where their exceptional beauty could be most admired by visiting guests. Date, circa 1780.