Large Carved Mirror Featuring Peacocks, Circa 1745

Large carved mirror featuring peacocks, circa 1745; carved wood, gold leaf, glass.

195 x 130 cm.

Attributed to Antonio Vernieri.

Crafted from carved and gilded wood with a mercury-silvered mirror plate, the piece is distinguished by the extraordinary richness of its ornamentation. This reveals the hand of a master craftsman and a high-caliber workshop, consistent with the documented activity of Antonio Vernieri in Parma between 1739 and 1767.

The structure combines a more regular lower section—enriched by undulating borders and intertwined vegetal elements—with a crest of exceptional ornamental complexity. The latter rises upwards in an interplay of scrolls and acanthus leaves; the branching forms transform into elegant peacock heads, which hold the edges of a delicate canopy’s drapery in their beaks. The apex is adorned with amascherone (grotesque mask) depicting a faun, seamlessly integrated into the vegetal motif. The wood is deliberately deep-carved to create a captivating, theatrical chiaroscuro effect.

The glass bears an engraved image of a bulbous vase from which stylized flowers emerge.

A feature of particular interest is the trellis-like openwork in the upper section—a refined lattice design that creates a wooden mesh. This design choice not only visually lightens the structure but also generates light effects where transparency and the brilliance of the gold interact. When compared with similar works attributed to Antonio Vernieri—such as the overmantel mirror and the set of mirrors housed at the Rocca Meli Lupi in Soragna (Parma)—one can observe comparable compositional features, including a pronounced vertical emphasis, the use of openwork motifs, and a similar predilection for rocaille elements, as well as an ornamental repertoire featuring masks, festoons, and fruit-filled vases.