1950s French Gilt Metal Radiant Sunburst Mirror - 29¼" x 25¼"

A refined mid century sunburst wall mirror, formed in gilt metal with an oval mirror plate encircled by a beaded inner molding and a corona of hand-pressed leaf rays. The leaves show crisp veining and serrated tips, creating a rhythmic halo that catches the light in warm matte gold. The piece presents in very good, timeworn condition with gentle rubbing to the gilding, a few softly bent leaf tips, and light age spotting to the glass.

 The sunburst motif draws on Baroque precedents associated with the Sun King, later revived for decorative interiors and embraced again in post-war Europe for its radiant geometry and optimism. French workshops of the 1950s often fashioned these mirrors from stamped sheet metal, finishing them with gilt lacquer to evoke earlier carved and gilded wood examples. The oval center and laurel-like rays bridge neoclassical symbolism with mid century elegance, offering a lively play of texture and light that suited salons, foyers, and above-mantel displays of the period.

This mirror adds an instant focal point in an entry, above a console, or crowning a mantel, where its gilded leaves animate the wall surface and amplify ambient light. It pairs beautifully with dark painted panelling or plaster walls, and it layers well with antique frames and contemporary art for a collected look. In a bedroom, it works beautifully above a mantel or commode, introducing height and elegance with just a hint of whimsy.