Gabriel Viardot (att. To) - Rare Japanese-style Mirror In The Shape Of A Crescent Moon With A Bronze Dragon

The frame is made of walnut. This Japonisme mirror, in bronze and walnut, was created around 1880-1890. Identifiable by its dual Chinese and Japanese inspiration, as well as by the presence of a bronze piece, characteristic of his work, this mirror is attributed to the prolific cabinetmaker Gabriel Viardot (1830-1904), who specialized in creating furniture and objets d'art in the "Chinese-Japanese style." While the wooden frame takes the form of a crescent moon, a bronze dragon coils like a serpent around the structure. The details adorning it are executed with great finesse, such as the scales on its flank and tail. Its curved body and prominent muscles emphasize the movement of this monster, which, with its half-open mouth, wide eyes, and pointed tongue, threatens those who gaze at themselves in the mirror. The simplicity of the wooden frame only serves to highlight the presence of the beautiful bronze dragon, a recurring motif in Gabriel Viardot's work. At the 1867 Universal Exhibition, Western artists had the opportunity to visit the Chinese and Japanese pavilions, which both attracted and puzzled visitors with their innovative motifs, lines, and techniques. In an artistic context where eclecticism and Orientalism, with increasingly blurred boundaries, intertwined, the enthusiasm for Asian art reached its peak, even though it had been known since the 17th century. This gave rise to an eclectic artistic production, of which Gabriel Viardot became one of the leading figures. Born in 1830 in Paris, where he died in 1904, Gabriel Viardot began his career working alongside his brother Louis before establishing his own workshop in 1860 and taking over the family business. It was at this time that he devoted himself to creating furniture inspired by both Japanese and Chinese art, which was very fashionable at the time. This earned him several medals at the Universal Exhibitions (1867, 1878, 1885, 1889, and 1900) and at the 8th Exhibition of the Central Union of Decorative Arts in 1884. Dimensions: Width 71cm, Height 79cm, Depth 15cm. Period and Provenance: Circa 1880-1890, France. Condition: In very good condition, with its patina of age. Some loss and wear to the gilding. The mirror is oxidized.