Looking glass
Unknown Artist
1685–1705
Medium
Walnut veneer, red pine, and glass
Dimensions
35 1/4 x 24 in. (89.5 x 61 cm)
Classification
Looking glass
Culture
British, probably
Department
The American Wing
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Screven Lorillard, 1952
Accession Number
52.195.1
Art Historical Context
Step into the refined world of late 17th- and early 18th-century British craftsmanship with this exquisite *Looking Glass*, dating from 1685–1705. Crafted by an unknown artist, this mirror stands at an elegant 35¼ x 24 inches, featuring a frame of walnut veneer over red pine—a technique that allowed luxurious, figured walnut surfaces to adorn a sturdy pine core. The clear glass plate reflects the opulence of its era, when mirrors were prized possessions symbolizing wealth and sophistication. Produced in Britain, likely for export or colonial use, this piece embodies the transition from Willia...