Looking Glass

Art Historical Context

Step into the elegance of early American homes with *Looking Glass*, a stunning mirror crafted between 1795 and 1810. Housed in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, this piece from the Federal period reflects the young nation's embrace of neoclassical grandeur and patriotic pride. At over four feet tall (50 3/4 x 30 1/2 in.), it would have adorned prosperous parlors, serving as both a functional looking glass and a statement of refined taste amid the post-Revolutionary optimism. The artwork's medium showcases virtuoso techniques: a pine frame enriched with gilded gesso—a molded plaster base coated in shimmering gold leaf—for opulent texture. At its heart is verre églomisé, a delicate process of reverse painting and gilding on glass, backed with foil for luminous depth. Eagle motifs, a hallmark tag here, symbolize American liberty and strength, echoing the bald eagle on the Great Seal. Wire accents add structural finesse, blending utility with artistry. Acquired through the Sansbury-Mills Fund in 1956, this anonymous masterpiece captures the era's fusion of European sophistication and homegrown symbolism, inviting us to glimpse not just reflections, but a nation's rising identity.