18th century French 'à la Bérain' mirror w/ aged mercury glass - rectangular 23¾" x 19"

A classic eighteenth-century French à la Bérain' mirror with a timeworn gilt frame and aged mercury glass.

It is a so-called “à la Bérain”, named after the ornamentalist of Louis XIV. The decorative rods were made in workshops by specialist sculptors. Their length was about three meters, and these rods were cut to the necessary length without taking into account the carving pattern. As a result, in miter angles, the pattern never connects.

Note: Mirrors have been photographed facing fabric, a technique that reveals any age spots in the glass. In some cases this may create the appearance of an empty frame, but each mirror is complete except where explicitly stated.