Pair of George III Giltwood Mirrors, c. 1785

Pair of George III Giltwood Mirrors
In the Hepplewhite taste
English, circa 1785

Each mirror retains a rectangular mercury glass plate within a finely carved giltwood frame surmounted by a pierced cresting composed of an urn, trailing husk ornament, and suspended oval medallions in the neoclassical taste. The medallions depict Prudence, one of the four cardinal virtues, following a Renaissance composition associated with the della Robbia workshop.¹ Delicate leafy branches and attenuated ornament lend the pair an unusual lightness.

The softly aged gilded surfaces and mercury plates contribute significantly to the character of the pair. Their narrow proportions make them particularly versatile.

I love this style, but it can be challenging to work with. It’s having a pair that matters here. Together they become far more compelling—and useful—than either would be on its own.

REFERENCE
¹ British Museum, Collection No. 1853,0312.560, depicting Prudence after della Robbia.
https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_1853-0312-560

LITERATURE
Related designs: G. Hepplewhite, The Cabinet-Maker and Upholsterer’s Guide, 1794, pls. 116–117.
Comparable examples: H. F. Schiffer, The Mirror Book: English, American & European, 1983, p. 185, fig. 476.