A very rare and possibly unique small carved mirror. Carved in walnut the piece is crested by an angel swagged on each side by green men, hops and seed pods, the bottom has a depiction of a green man. This flamboyant piece breeches the gap between religion and folk lore and illustrates that although the old religion had been superseded, vestiges of it survived. It has an atmospheric early mercury glass plate.
The condition is very good with just a small repaired section to one of the angels wings, it is possible that the piece was originally polychromed but as no traces are left it is impossible to tell, it has a dry, unwaxed surface that highlights the carving.
English, . Circa 1660
Height 37 cm ( 14 1/2"”)
Width 30.5 cm ( 12”)
A very rare and possibly unique small carved mirror. Carved in walnut the piece is crested by an angel swagged on each side by green men, hops and seed pods, the bottom has a depiction of a green man. This flamboyant piece breeches the gap between religion and folk lore and illustrates that although the old religion had been superseded, vestiges of it survived. It has an atmospheric early mercury glass plate.
The condition is very good with just a small repaired section to one of the angels wings, it is possible that the piece was originally polychromed but as no traces are left it is impossible to tell, it has a dry, unwaxed surface that highlights the carving.
English, . Circa 1660
Height 37 cm ( 14 1/2"”)
Width 30.5 cm ( 12”)
