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Lot Essay
The present mirror, with its attenuated form and idiosyncratic carved ornament is characteristic of German 'Frederican' Rococo. The unusual deployment of a carved bird cresting and monkey to the apron, together with the stylised lily girandole branches amongst rocaille and floral carved borders relate to the distinctive carved and porcelain-mounted furniture and interior boiseries at the Neue Palais, Potsdam.
In particular the 'hanging' rocaille carved detail to the upper and lower edges of the uppermost oval plate are similar to that in the carved and silvered interiors of the Music Room (see G. Streidt, K. Frahm, Potsdam, Kln, 1996, p. 103.).
The cresting and floral carving of this unusual girandole relate to the porcelain mounted mirrors in the Writing Room of the Royal Quarters (ibid, p. 104), see fig. 1.
Perhaps the most charming feature of the present girandole is the intricately carved monkey supporting the frame. It relates to the lifelike and fantastical ornament deployed by cabinet-makers Heinrich Wilhelm Spindler and Johann Mechior Kambli who supplied a magnificent schreibtisch for King Frederick II, circa 1769. The desk, also installed at the Neue Palais at Potsdam, is covered with silvered mounts, marquetry of hunting scenes and is flanked and headed by naturalistically carved squirrels to the legs (see H. Kreisel, Die Kunst des Deutschen Mbels, Munich, 1970, p. 249, fig. XII.).
In particular the 'hanging' rocaille carved detail to the upper and lower edges of the uppermost oval plate are similar to that in the carved and silvered interiors of the Music Room (see G. Streidt, K. Frahm, Potsdam, Kln, 1996, p. 103.).
The cresting and floral carving of this unusual girandole relate to the porcelain mounted mirrors in the Writing Room of the Royal Quarters (ibid, p. 104), see fig. 1.
Perhaps the most charming feature of the present girandole is the intricately carved monkey supporting the frame. It relates to the lifelike and fantastical ornament deployed by cabinet-makers Heinrich Wilhelm Spindler and Johann Mechior Kambli who supplied a magnificent schreibtisch for King Frederick II, circa 1769. The desk, also installed at the Neue Palais at Potsdam, is covered with silvered mounts, marquetry of hunting scenes and is flanked and headed by naturalistically carved squirrels to the legs (see H. Kreisel, Die Kunst des Deutschen Mbels, Munich, 1970, p. 249, fig. XII.).