Rare French Empire Mirror w/ Imperial Eagle & Original Mercury Plate - 32¾" x 24"

An exceptional French Empire mirror dating from the early 1800s, retaining its original carved and gilded eagle crest, one of the most powerful and recognizable symbols of the Napoleonic Empire. Finely carved with outstretched wings and perched above a pediment, the eagle directly evokes the imperial emblems adopted by Napoleon after his coronation, inspired by the standards of ancient Rome. The frame is richly detailed with restrained neoclassical ornament, including repeating carved motifs and stylized laurel drops at the corners, all retaining a beautifully mellowed original gilded surface with warm red bole showing through in places.

Particularly striking is the original mercury mirror plate, now softly foxed and beautifully atmospheric with the silvery clouding and speckling that only genuine period glass acquires over time.

The eagle crest can be easily removed and neatly reinserted into the top of the frame, an original construction detail of the period which may have carried a political dimension during the shifting regimes of the early 19th century. This feature allowed the mirror’s overt imperial symbolism to be either displayed or discreetly softened according to company and changing allegiances.

The mirror has remarkable decorative presence despite its relatively modest scale. The atmospheric foxed mercury plate catches light softly, while the sculptural eagle crest gives the piece both a strong architectural silhouette and the unmistakable symbolism of the Napoleonic Empire.  A rare find.