Bidspirit auction | Wall mirror. Portuguese School. 19th

Wall mirror. Portuguese School. 19th century - Carved and gilded wood with polychrome ceramic. Dimensions: 102 x 44 cm. Portuguese wall mirror made in the 19th century, following the late Rococo style of the courts of King José I and Queen Maria I. The structure features rich carving in gilded wood with vegetal motifs, scrolls, flowers, and volutes that theatrically frame the rectangular glass, reinforcing its ornamental character. At the top rises a crest crowned by a floral palmette, which surrounds an oval medallion decorated with a scene painted on polychrome ceramic. This scene depicts a horseman riding amidst stylized trees and clouds, in a naive style with clear folk influences. Two small winged figures flank the medallion, accentuating the decorative weight of the piece. The profusion of gilded elements and the fluidity of the forms recall Portuguese Baroque in its most exuberant decorative phase, reinterpreted within the historicist context of the 19th century. The piece is well preserved, maintaining the integrity of its sculptural elements and the luster of its gilding. A representative work of the Portuguese taste for the mixture of materials and formal ostentation, it is ideal as a striking decorative element. Dimensions: 102 x 44 cm.