Looking Glass
c. 1700
Medium
Gessoed and gilt pine, verre églomisé (reverse painted glass), gilding, and mirror glass
Dimensions
207 × 121.3 cm (88 1/2 × 47 3/4 in.)
Classification
mirror
Department
Applied Arts of Europe
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
29782
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
By the late 1600s technical improvements in French glassmaking allowed artisans to cast and polish exceptionally large plates of glass. Monumental mirrors like this one reflected light and lent interiors a sense of theatrical splendor. This mirror’s frame is also made of glass, with each panel painted and gilded on the reverse side. The delicate, highly ornamental design recalls the work of René and Thomas Pelletier, French Protestants (known as Huguenots) who fled religious persecution and set...
About the Artist
Unknown
The artist designated as "Unknown" in our virtual museum's collection exemplifies a poignant chapter in art history: creators whose identities have faded into obscurity despite the enduring power of their work. With only one known artwork attributed to them in our holdings, this figure represents countless anonymous hands that shaped visual culture across centuries. Museums worldwide, including th...