Trumeau mirror; Venice, Italy, ¾ of the 18th century.

Trumeau mirror; Venice, Italy, ¾ of the eighteenth century.
Carved and gilded wood, oil on panel.
It has some flaws in the top and does not retain the quicksilver.
Measurements: 190 x 100 x 7 cm.
Trumeau type mirror made of carved and gilded wood, characterized by an elaborate frame with rich rococo decoration. The structure presents a profuse vegetal and curvilinear ornamentation, with motifs of scrolls, shells and naturalistic carved and gilded elements that run around the entire contour. On both sides of the mirror there are decorated vertical moldings that evoke stylized pilasters, contributing to the sensation of verticality and elegance of the whole.
The upper part is topped by an oval-shaped painted panel depicting a gallant scene in a landscape, with figures dressed in 18th century fashion, accompanied by an animal, in a natural setting. This type of decorative scene was common on trumeau mirrors, bringing a narrative and refined character to the piece of furniture.
The trumeau mirror originated in 18th century France and owes its name to the place for which it was originally intended: the space between two windows. Placed in this position, it helped to multiply the light in the room thanks to the mirror's reflective surface and the brilliance of the gilding on the frame. Generally vertical and rectangular in format, these mirrors usually incorporate an ornamental or pictorial panel at the top, as in this example, which exceeds the height of the mirror area itself.