The mirror, an iconic decorative object

The history of the first mirrors dates back to around 6000 BC. The oldest examples are made of polished stone, then later of polished metal, such as copper or bronze. Ancient mirrors were made from sheets of metal polished to a high shine. The back and handle of some hand mirrors were decorated with scenes of women's daily lives, or with figures of goddesses. From the first century AD onward, tin, bronze, silver, and gold were often backed with glass.

In Europe, during the 13th and especially the 14th centuries, mirrors were backed with lead and later with a tin alloy. The most famous examples of the Renaissance are undoubtedly the tin-plated Venetian mirrors of the 15th century. These small mirrors possessed a high degree of reflectivity. Later, in the mid-17th century, very tall mirrors were produced, intended to be placed on marble-topped consoles or, towards the end of the 17th century and throughout the 18th century, above fireplaces.

Pair of Venetian-style giltwood mirrors, 17th century

The technique of cast glass made it possible to create large mirrors . Their use was twofold: to richly decorate a room and to multiply light sources through reflection. During the 18th and 19th centuries, the mirror was a central element in the decoration of aristocratic and bourgeois interiors. Subsequently, mirror frames—often made of carved and gilded wood—became a lucrative industry, some even bearing the hallmarks of woodcarving specialists.

The mirror in the 17th and 18th centuries

The discovery of the glass mirror was a true revolution. Venice was renowned in the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries for its glassworks, which used this new technique. The master glassmakers of Murano closely guarded the manufacturing secret. As a result, Italy retained exclusive rights to its production until the 17th century and exported its creations throughout the rest of Europe.

The first Venetian mirrors had simple wooden frames. Gradually, they adapted to the Renaissance and Baroque style, and displayed sumptuous decoration with small columns, pediments, pearls and mythological figures.

The carved and gilded wooden frames are richly decorated with foliate motifs and polychrome elements. Gilded bronze components and precious stones are sometimes combined with the wood. In the 18th century, the Rococo style, with its twisted and asymmetrical forms, enjoyed great popularity. During the 18th century, manufacturers appeared in other European countries, but Venetian mirrors continued to be imitated.

The mirror in the 19th century

The cheval mirror appeared at the very end of the 18th century, during the Consulate (1799-1804). The widespread production of large mirrors made it possible to create this new piece of furniture, which quickly became integrated into interior design. A large, pivoting mirror, surrounded by a mahogany frame and supported by two column or baluster-shaped uprights, rests on a substantial base. Its ornamentation consists of antique motifs, lyres, palmettes, swans, and lion's paws in bronze or giltwood. Two candle arms are sometimes attached to the side uprights.

This essential piece of furniture for dressing was very fashionable in the early 19th century, during the Empire and the Restoration . Fascinated by fashion and concerned with the quality of her decor and furnishings, Josephine had commissioned several cheval mirrors for her bedroom and dressing rooms at the Tuileries and Malmaison palaces.

In the 19th century, furniture evolved to meet the needs of the rising bourgeoisie. Furniture manufacturers supplied designs drawn from the repertoire of past centuries. The Restoration period saw the emergence of neo-rocaille designs, conceived by the cabinetmaker Aimé Chenacard (1798-1838) . But it was especially at the beginning of the Second Empire that fashion embraced the styles of the past with fervor.

The Napoleon III era is indeed distinguished by a vast blend of 17th- and 18th-century styles. Numerous Boulle-style marquetry pieces, Louis XV and Louis XVI salon furniture, and small porcelain objects in the Meissen style were produced. Cabinetmakers such as Louis-Auguste Alfred Beurdeley (1808-1892) and Guillaume Grohé (1808-1885) , suppliers to the Emperor and Empress, are renowned for their exceptionally high-quality furniture, inspired by the grand models of the 18th century. Furnishings became more diverse, and countless objects adorned bourgeois interiors.

Under Napoleon III, the fashion for large mirrors persisted, but they were more often hung on the walls. The decoration of the frames was inspired by motifs borrowed from older styles, particularly Louis XIV and Louis XV.

The Rococo style is highly prized, and many models feature richly ornamented frames with rocaille motifs, jagged foliage, and exotic themes, all in an asymmetrical style. Mirrors with elaborate molded wood and brass frames are reminiscent of the Louis XIV style.

The framed mirror is a reflective glass whose central section is surrounded by a wide frame that also features mirrored sections. The models we have are sumptuously decorated with large openwork bouquets and foliate pediments.

Smaller models adorn tables and consoles. Craftsmen imagine decorations in cloisonné enamels or representations of Cupid and Psyche. 

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