Rococo Revival Giltwood Mirror, Late 19th Century French

• Rococo - A stylistic development covering the period from about 1730 to 1770, during the reign of Louis XV in France. The rococo style falls between the rather overbearing manner of the Baroque and the formal elegance of Neoclassicism. The Rococo style reached its full maturity in France, though many of its features were used by English furniture makers. The style is marked by asymmetrical forms, especially pierced and intricate scroll work as in mirror frames, chair backs etc., and the use of shells and floral motifs. The term derives from the French 'rocaille', meaning rock work, as in gardens and fountains. There was a major Rococo revival in the mid-19th century and indeed much of what is now considered to be typically Victorian furniture is influenced by the Rococo. It is essentially feminine in feeling, and for this reason, perhaps, was regarded as rather frivolous by its successors.
• Giltwood - Giltwood is used to describe a gold finish on furniture and other decorative wooden items, whereby a thin sheet of gold metal, called gold leaf, is applied to the surface for decorative purposes.
  
  Unlike gilding, where the gold leaf is applied over a coating of gesso, with giltwood the gold leaf is applied direct to the surface, or over a coat of linseed oil gold leaf adhesive.
  
  Most gold-finished mirrors will be gilded, whereas furniture with gold highlights will have the gold applied through the giltwood method.

This item has been included into following indexes:

• mirrors, wall, period, age or style
  • French 642
  • overmantle 793