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Queen Anne Mirror Rendered by Leslie Macklem watercolor, colored pencil, and graphite on paperboard, 35.1 x 24.4 cm (13 13/16 x 9 5/8 in.) Index of American Design 1943.8.5291 |
Object 11 of 26
Mirror glass became available to the colonists after 1673, when the English began producing it. For the next century, English mirror glass was used by American cabinetmakers. At first it was made in small sheets, but gradually, the size was increased. Frames were enlarged to accommodate larger mirror panels, and their design became more elaborate. The preference for slim forms exhibited in other Queen Anne furniture can be observed in the mirrors of the period. Typically, a long narrow frame contains two panels of glass, as in this tall mirror, which bears on its back the inscription "Trimbell, 1747, Phila." An elegant effect is achieved through the contrast of the rich wood tones of the frame with the carved gold-leaf inner border and gilded medallion. The characteristic Queen Anne S-curve is seen in the carved scrolls that give the crest its ornamental silhouette.
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