reverse painting on glass

Object NamePair of Reverse-painted Mirrors

Made FromMirrored Plate Glass (mercury), Wood

Dateabout 1750-1800

Place MadeChina (reverse-painting, frames); England (mirrored glass)

TechniqueReverse-painted, gilded

SizeSee Individual Records

Accession Number2019.6.15

Curatorial Area(s)

Early Modern

Not On View

Physical DescriptionPair of Reverse-painted Mirrors. Reverse painting on mirrored plate glass (mercury), Chinese huali wood frame; gilded. A pair of mirrors in portrait format, each reverse-painted with elegantly dressed Manchu figures in a garden with auspicious symbols and lakes beyond. Mirrors set in black and gilt frames (presumed to be original). A man and a woman are depicted in one scene (A), while two women, one of whom holds an infant child (B), are depicted in the second.
Provenance

Source Christie, Manson & Woods Ltd - 2019-11-19
Christie's, London, European & English Furniture, Ceramics, Portrait Miniatures, & Works of Art, Wednesday 13 November, Lot 259, Property from the collection of Raine, Countess Spencer. Private collection, UK, acquired in 1970 from a private US collection.

Former Collection Countess Raine Spencer (English, 1929-2016) - 1970-10-17-2016-10-21
d. 2016, and thence by decent

Former Collection Mrs. Forsyth Wickes (d. 1969) - 1970-10-17
sold at Parke-Bernet, New York, Lot 23