The oval mirror plates bordered by beads, flutes and a gadrooned edge and further embellished with scrolling foliage to the lower part of the mirror and an entablature with crossed palm boughs below a classical urn to the upper part of the mirror. Scrolling down the sides of the mirror is further foliage and bell flowers.

The style of these carton-pierre mirrors is firmly neo-classical in inspiration and there are a number of motifs that attest to this. The bell-flowers, fluted border and classical urn are all very typical of this period. However, in the flowing form of the decoration, the mirror retains an element of the rococo and creates a somewhat gentler form than a purely neo-classical mirror might have.

English, Circa 1774

Two closely related designs in the collection of the Victoria & Albert Museum's Department of Prints and Drawings support this dating (Reference: V & A E. 3482 1911 and V & A E. 3540 1911). Both are drawings for pier-glasses from William and John Linnell's workshop and are dated 1773 and 1774 respectively. Neither of these drawings are the sole inspiration for the design of the present mirrors. Instead motifs are taken from each and incorporated to make a fresh decorative scheme.

John Linnell attended Hogarth's famous St. Martin's Lane Academy and rejoined his father William's firm by 1753. He quickly began to incorporate classical motifs into popular Rococo designs and worked closely with Robert Adam at Keddleston Hall in 1762 and Osterley Park in 1767. Linnell's work in the early 1770's still retained the light curves present in Rococo pieces while introducing neo-classical elements as epitomized by this pair of mirrors.

Height: 70" 178cm

Width: 41" 105.5cm