Swedish Art Nouveau Gilt Plaster Mirror With Floral Decoration, Circa 1890

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Description

An extraordinary Swedish Art Nouveau mirror, circa 1890, featuring an exuberant arrangement of sculptural foliage, sinuous vines, and delicate pendant … Read more An extraordinary Swedish Art Nouveau mirror, circa 1890, featuring an exuberant arrangement of sculptural foliage, sinuous vines, and delicate pendant flowers. The elaborate frame is fashioned from modeled plaster over a wire armature, allowing for an unusually fluid and naturalistic composition with botanical elements extending freely beyond the mirror’s perimeter.

The gracefully shaped, beveled mirror plate is surrounded by a profusion of deeply modeled leaves, curling stems, and flowering branches. A dramatic botanical crest rises above the mirror, while cascading vines and blossoms climb the sides, culminating in an intricate flourish of foliage and scrolling tendrils at the base.

The beautifully aged two-tone finish combines warm gilding with a muted bronze-toned surface, creating depth and contrast throughout the elaborate decoration. The antique mirror plate retains attractive foxing and silvering loss, lending additional character to the piece.

An exceptional example of the organic, nature-inspired ornament associated with the Scandinavian Art Nouveau movement, known as Jugendstil. Both romantic and wonderfully sculptural, the mirror is as much a work of decorative art as a functional furnishing.

Good antique condition with age-appropriate wear to the gilded and painted surfaces. Scattered cracks and minor losses to the modeled plaster decoration, consistent with age and the delicate nature of the construction. The antique beveled mirror plate displays foxing, spotting, and areas of silvering deterioration. Attractive overall patina. See less