Design for a square hand mirror
Engraving with an ornamental design for a square-shaped hand mirror, part of a set of six designs for mirrors of the same type, likely created after designs by Étienne Delaune. The square frame of the mirror contains decorations on all sides. It is flanked above by a quatrefoil motif of gems, inside a C-scrolling motif. To the sides, it is flanked by two women, their upper bodies half-dressed with draped romes, leaving their breasts uncovered, and their legs made up of scrolling motifs decorated with garlands of fruits and leaves, and the bottom scrolls of their lower bodies made up of ram heads with pearls hanging from them. They are leaning one of their arms on another rosette of gems, and the other arm lifted up to hold scrolling motifs, also decorated with rosettes of gem, that stand above them. Finally, the lower side of the frame is flanked by a strapwork cartouche with a mask of a man with a beard, which is in turn flanked above by a shell motif and to the other three sides by rosettes of gems, and standing on top of a column, which makes up the handle of the mirror. The lower part of the column is flanked by a small ring, which would have been used to decorate the design with tassels or ribbons, or maybe even to hang the object from walls. This type of design for mirrors was very popular during the 16th century in france and Europe. They were often produced in silver and, in exceptional cases, in gold, with the use of gems, semi-precious stones, or colored glass to add color to the designs.
Artwork Details
- Title: Design for a square hand mirror
- Artist: After Etienne Delaune (French, Orléans 1518/19–1583 Strasbourg) (?)
- Date: 16th century (?)
- Medium: Engraving
- Dimensions: Sheet: 8 9/16 × 4 3/8 in. (21.7 × 11.1 cm)
- Classifications: Prints, Ornament & Architecture
- Credit Line: Rogers Fund, 1918
- Object Number: 18.1.5
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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