Early 19th Century Empire Female Bacchantes Caryatids Gilt Bronze Table Mirror
A rare and beautiful Empire gilt-bronze table mirror, a so-called “psyché à table” decorated with three female busts or caryatids, dressed in Greek fashion, their hair being decorated with wine leaf and grape garlands, resting on a tapering shaft with fine fluting and neoclassical banding, supported by three pairs of bare feet. The feet are placed on a circular, slightly domed base with excellently chiseled neoclassical banding and lozenge leaf frieze. The acanthus scroll mirror stand issuing from the females’ heads, holding a round mirror, which can be turned around and be used on both sides.
A rare and excellently chiseled and gilt bronze table or Vanity mirror, a so-called “psyché à table”. The motif of the three carytids was a quite popular decoration during the French Empire period, and can be found more often on candlesticks. Its use on a table mirror as presented here is rather rare.
Literature: Hans Ottomeyer and Peter Pröschel: Vergoldete Bronzen. Die Bronzearbeiten des Spätbarock und Klassizismus, Munich 1986, Volume. 1, p. 326, fig. 5.1.6 and 5.1.7. (candlesticks showing comparable caryatid decoration)
Condition: Very good, min. wear consistent with age and use, min. fading – detailed condition report on request
