Bidspirit auction | A VENETIAN OR FLORENTINE PAINTED

A VENETIAN OR FLORENTINE PAINTED AND GILT HAND-CARVED WOOD MIRROR, 19 C. - The figural mirror, finely carved and polychrome-painted, modeled as a putto with blackamoor features astride a gilt dolphin, the circular mirror framed in a giltwood surround with floral-painted decoration. The base has tooled and incised borders. The depiction of the putto with ”blackamoor” features reflects the 19th-century fascination with exoticism, especially in Venice, where ”blackamoors” (stylized depictions of Africans) appeared frequently in sculpture, furniture, and decorative arts. These were not realistic portraits but decorative types meant to evoke Venice’s cosmopolitan identity as a crossroads of East and West. Today, such imagery is understood as part of Europe’s colonial imagination and carries complex cultural meaning. Dolphin symbolism: in Renaissance and Baroque art, dolphins were associated with protection, guidance, and safe passage at sea, reflecting Venice’s naval power. Their inclusion in luxury mirrors reinforced both the allegorical and decorative appeal. Please make all inquiries before bidding. All lots are sold ”as-is”, refer to our T&C. Helios Auctions offers in-house shipping. In case we can not accommodate a shipping request, a list of additional shippers will be provided. Dimensions: H: 25 1/2 in., (65 cm.) Condition: Overall good condition with some age-related wear to the gilding and painted surfaces, minor losses to polychromy, and light rubbing to high points.