The Mirror
Medium
Photogravure
Dimensions
Sheet: 15 7/8 × 11 7/8 in. (40.3 × 30.1 cm) Plate: 12 3/16 × 9 13/16 in. (31 × 25 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Mrs. Ellen Robinson, 1960
Accession Number
60.683.9
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
"The Mirror" (1890) is a striking photogravure print published by the renowned Parisian firm Goupil & Co. in collaboration with New York-based D. Appleton & Co., after an original work by French artist Jules Aviat. Measuring about 16 by 12 inches on its sheet, this piece belongs to the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints collection, generously gifted by Mrs. Ellen Robinson in 1960. Photogravure, a sophisticated photomechanical intaglio process perfected in the late 19th century, allowed for exquisitely detailed reproductions that rivaled original paintings in tonal richness and subtlety, making high art accessible to a broader audience. The composition centers on female nudes and mirrors—a motif rich with cultural resonance in fin-de-siècle Europe. Mirrors often symbolized vanity, self-reflection, and the gaze, themes prevalent in Academic and Symbolist art of the era. Aviat, known for his elegant genre scenes, captures the female form with a blend of classical idealism and intimate realism, inviting viewers to contemplate beauty's fleeting nature. This print exemplifies the booming international print market of the 1890s, bridging European ateliers and American collectors. Its presence in the Met highlights how reproductive techniques democratized art, preserving Aviat's vision for generations of museumgoers.
About the Artist
Goupil & Co.|D. Appleton & Co.|Jules Aviat (French|American|French) · 1850 |1800 |1844 –1950 |1900 |1931
|New York, NY|French, Brienne-le-Château 1844–1931 Périgueux