18th Century Giltwood Mirror

An 18th-century Louis XV mirror, known as the Beaucaire mirror. Around a rectangular frame, the glazing bars follow a sinuous design. They are decorated with C-shaped motifs and olive leaf scrolls, terminating at the top in rooster combs. On the pediment, between two rooster combs, is a bouquet of small flowers against a background of crosshatching and a grid pattern. Rooster combs are repeated on the feet, and an olive leaf composition is featured in the center of the crossbar. The overall carving is rather naive, often typical of these models, with worn and faded gilding. The silvering is very attractive, patinated by time. Two fragments of the mirror are cracked in the upper left and lower side panels (see photos). The backing has been replaced.