Large Pair of Florentine Cartouche-Shaped Giltwood Wall Mirrors

A Fine Florentine Carved Giltwood Mirror. This impressive carved giltwood mirror has a waisted cartouche shaped bevelled plate, within a conforming...

A large carved florentine giltwood mirror in the Baroque Revival Style. This impressive mirror has a rectangular bevelled glass plate set within a scrolling acanthus carved frame...

A Magnificent Pair of George II Style English Carved Giltwood ‘Rococo’ Wall Mirrors After A Design By Thomas Johnson. Of large proportions, each mirror having a cartouche-shaped plate within a profusely carved and pierced branch-entwined frame with stylised acanthus foliate rocaille and ‘C’-scroll decoration, architectural motifs and running dogs, surmounted by an asymmetrical pagoda form cresting with rockwork spires and a seated rustic couple holding a basket, flanked by confronted Ho-Ho birds, with a conforming asymmetrical apron of acanthus and waterwork icicles centred by a perching bird. This magnificent and ornate pair of English wall mirrors or ‘pier glasses’ are refined and reduced from a design by Thomas Johnson (1723–1799) first published in 1756 and included in his ‘Collections of Designs’ (1758), plate 4, and republished in his ‘One Hundred and Fifty New Designs" (1761) as plate 22. Pier Glasses were designed to be placed on the wall or 'pier' between windows; as well as forming part of a decorative scheme they provided an important functional use, creating a reversal of dynamic with the windows at night, reflecting and maximising the light given off by candles or oil lamps. Johnson’s asymmetrical design creates a sense of fluidity and lightness to the mirrors, employing ‘contraste’ in the placing or absence of elements, to create a stylised form, which through the dynamic tension of its constituent parts instils the mirrors with a sense of playfulness and vitality. In London throughout the 1740s and 1750s there developed a great enthusiasm for the whimsical Rococo style, and it rapidly became the height of fashion, popularised, and disseminated throughout the country and further afield by cabinetmakers’ 'Books of Prices', and 'Directories'. The second half of the 19th century saw a revival of the Rococo style in England and many designers and furniture makers turned once again to Chippendale’s ‘Director’ and designs by Matthias Lock and Thomas Johnson for inspiration, with fine examples based on modified designs or specific plates. Thomas Johnson’s designs, executed in a vigourous picturesque manner, are often inspired by the work of earlier French designers, transposing motifs taken from engraved ornament by Jean Bérain, Daniel Marot, William de la Cour, J. B. Toro and Francis Barlow...

A Pair of Venetian Rococo Carved Giltwood Mirrors. These mirrors have elaborate pierced strapwork crestings surmounted by a shell-shaped corona above a cartouche-shaped plate, the...

A fine pair of large carved giltwood and Gesso mirrors. Each mirror has an arched mirror plate framed by foliate carved borders. Possibly Italian or Austrian, circa 1870.

A fine pair of carved giltwood and gesso mirrors with eagle crestings. Each mirror has a pierced oak leaf and eagle cresting above an arched mirro...

Large Florentine Style Giltwood Wall Mirror This beautifully carved gilt mirror features large floral leaves and shells surrounding a moulded rope inner frame. To the rear are ha...

Florentine giltwood wall mirror, the original rectangular mirror plate surrounded by scrolling leaf and shell carved frame. Dimensions Height 16 Inches Length 38.5 Inches Width 2 Inches

A large 19th century Florentine giltwood wall mirror. The frame is boldly carved with acanthus leaves in high relief, and is set with a mercury plate. Italian, mid 19th century.

the original hand-beveled cartouche-shaped mirror plate within a conforming giltwood frame surmounted by a bold ho-ho bird; the whole adorned with elaborately stylized rocaille carvi...

A rare to find matching pair. These Florentine gilt wood oval wall mirrors with a rococo acanthus scroll frame. Each of them feature an intricatel...

These Florentine mirrors are well-carved and gilt with scrolling acanthus and foliate motifs which create a lively background for the arched mirror plates. They are substantially, th...