Oval Wedding Mirror With Dove Motifs — Louis XVI Style, 19th Century

Carved wood gilded with gold leaf — beveled mirror
Height: 110 cm — Width: 62 cm

A charming oval wedding mirror, remarkable for the richness and poetic beauty of its decoration, crafted in the Louis XVI style and dating from the second half of the 19th century.

The composition is particularly elegant and perfectly balanced. The pediment is dominated by two doves facing each other, set within a generous wreath of foliage and ears of grain—a traditional symbol of love, union, and fertility. All around, slender branches with leaves and flowers unfurl, lending the entire piece a remarkable lightness.

The frame is accented by a delicate beaded frieze, while its lower portion features a magnificent ribbon bow, from which new garlands of foliage blossom. The plant motifs, flowers, and ribbons are rendered with great finesse, in the precious and refined aesthetic characteristic of 19th-century French decorative arts.

The beveled glass perfectly follows the oval shape of the frame and lends this composition a beautiful sense of depth. The gilding, fully preserved in its original condition, has a warm, luminous tone that beautifully highlights the reliefs of the sculpture.

The piece is in very good condition. There are only a few very small chips or areas where the gilding is missing, which are insignificant given the overall condition and naturally contribute to the object’s antique patina.

At 110 cm tall, this mirror has a remarkable decorative presence without being overpowering. It would look equally at home above a console table, in an entryway or bedroom, or in a contemporary interior, where it would bring a magnificent contrast between old-world refinement and timeless elegance.

A beautiful example of the 19th-century Romantic taste for wedding mirrors, where the decoration is never mere ornamentation but truly tells a story: love, union, and fidelity symbolized by doves, flowers, and a ribbon bow.