A Provençal Molded And Carved Giltwood Mirror, Louis XV Period, Circa 1745

Large mirror with acanthus decoration, bunches of grapes, vine leaves, fruit and flowers, pediment decorated with a basket of fruit in a large shell on ice background.
Original gilding and glass mercury. Provence Region of Beaucaire Louis XV period circa 1745 - 1750.
Contrary to popular belief mirror Beaucaire was not manufactured in this city.
He was sold by cons at the annual fair.
The fair of Beaucaire was by far the most important trade event of France and even Europe with estimated at over 120 000 1780 attendance.
You could find all the products of French industry.
However workshops mirrors who worked mostly on order for the elite of the nobility and clergy produced a more current model series with thinner glass, a flat setting, most often cast a pine floor.
Diverse but still substantially identical forms for this production was trimmed to be sold at the fair.
Workshops Moustiers faience also worked in the same way at the end of the 18th century, the production of high quality custom made models and faster to the fair scene said Beaucaire.
However, we must imagine that this production was intended for workers, archives teach us a mirror of Beaucaire small coutait nearly a year of military balance in the first Empire.