Mirror, Mounted Behind Glass, 18th Century

This mirror, set behind glass and depicting the Virgin Mary, is a rare and precious piece. She is shown in a pose of adoration, draped in a blue cloak—a color traditionally associated with purity, heavenly royalty, and the Immaculate Conception. She is depicted crushing a serpent—a symbol of evil, original sin, and Satan—in accordance with the biblical prophecy: “She will crush your head, and you will strike her heel” (Genesis 3:15).
At the top of the mirror, the image of the radiant and fiery Sacred Heart, surrounded by a choir of angels, reinforces the mystical character of the work. The Sacred Heart symbolizes Christ’s infinite love for humanity.

Painting under glass is a unique technique because the work is created on the back of the glass. Whereas on canvas one sketches the composition in broad strokes, then applies flat areas of color, and gradually finishes with the details, in reverse glass painting the process is done in reverse. Unlike the standard technique—where details (the nose, eyes, flowers) are painted before the background (the face, the landscape)—the viewer must look at the finished work from the unpainted side of the glass panel. The glass painter begins with the finer details of the work and finishes with the backgrounds. Thus, down to the smallest detail, the painter must envision the final version of the image from the very beginning, knowing full well that they will also have to account for a “mirror effect” while executing the image, since what is painted upside down on the right appears right-side up on the left.

France

18th century

Height: 59 cm

Width: 42 cm