Neoclassical French Marriage Mirror w/ Dove Medallion c. 1790–1820 - 42½" x 20¾"

A late 18th- to early 19th-century French marriage mirror, this beautiful example is carved and gilded wood with a delicately pierced pediment. At the crest, a round medallion presents paired doves in giltwood on a dark ground, framed by scrolling foliage and small rosettes. Doves symbolize union and were often associated with marriage iconography, and such mirrors were traditionally presented to newlyweds. The rectangular frame shows an inner beaded molding, a running leaf frieze, rosette blocks, and tapered feet characteristic of Neoclassical taste, with pendant laurel leaves to the sides and traces of red bole showing through the gilding. It retains the original mercury mirror plate, heavily speckled with scattered losses to the silvering yet still reflective. A small loss is noted to the upper pediment, and overall the surface shows attractive age.

Designed as a mirror to rest on a surface, it is supported by two elegant feet at the base, yet it can also be hung. This piece lends gentle luminosity and romance to an interior, ideal on a mantel, console, or dressing table where its vertical format draws the eye upward. Pair it with plaster walls, stone, or painted paneling to let the gold leaf and aged glass sing, or set it above a commode layered with candlesticks and small portraits for a collected vignette. Its softly aged reflection and emblematic crest make a poetic focal point in a bedroom, entry, or intimate sitting room.