Meissen Porcelain Mirror

Lavish Meissen porcelain serves as the extraordinary frame for this mirror. Exquisitely hand-painted in polychrome with gilt accents, the bountiful frame is adorned with all manner of classic Rococo decoration, including lush bouquets of highly detailed flowers, birds and putti. A pair of candle arms extends from either side, which allows the mirror to reflect candlelight and illuminate a room.

Founded in the early 18th century, the Meissen factory was the first European ceramics manufacturer to produce "true" or hard-paste porcelain and remained unrivaled in terms of innovation and beauty for decades. Though the formula for hard-paste porcelain gradually found its way across Europe, the Royal Manufactory at Meissen continued to produce some of the finest porcelain works the world had ever seen. Creating such a mirror was a painstaking process, and the enormous decorative detail indicates the incredible level of skill attained by Meissen artists. A large item such as this would only have been created for the most affluent of clients. Considering the delicate nature of porcelain and the intricacy of the piece, this mirror remarkably remains in excellent condition. 

Circa 1870

65 1/4" high x 41" wide x 5 5/8" deep