18th Century Shell Mirror in Golden Wood with Leaf Mercury

A delightful wooden wall mirror entirely gilded with 24-carat gold leaf.
Of attractive proportions, composed of a mercury mirror and a scrolled frame decorated with acanthus leaves, surmounted by a marvellous carved shell and laurel wreath in the pediment and two small carved shells at each bottom corner.

Period : 18th century
Dimensions: Height: 65.5cm x Width: 41.5cm x Depth: 4cm

The Louis XV or Pompadour style was purely French in inspiration during the reign of King Louis XV (1710-1774).

It was initiated by the Marquise de Pompadour (1721-1764), King Louis XV's favourite, with the help of ornamental decorators such as Alexandre Jean Oppenordt (1639-1715) and the architect Germain Boffrand (1667-1754).

The style is also known as "rocaille" or "rococo", characterised by its fantasy and asymmetry. It spread throughout Europe thanks to the legacy of the prestige of the French court and Versailles under Louis XIV.

The decorations and attributes of the Louis XV style mainly represent amorous and pastoral themes, nature, fishing, hunting, asymmetrical acanthus leaves, curved foliage, bouquets, cartouches, plants and shells...