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This charming beadwork mirror, c. 1670, was intended to
stand on a table supported by a wooden strut
rather than hung on a wall. It is worked with opaque
and clear beads with the faces and hair in padded
and embroidered silk (1/6)
stand on a table supported by a wooden strut
rather than hung on a wall. It is worked with opaque
and clear beads with the faces and hair in padded
and embroidered silk (1/6)
Beadwork worked in the solid manner took a great deal of skill and time-consuming labour, as each bead was fastened separately to the canvas ground. Mirror glass was precious until the end of the 17th century and as such was a luxury item (2/6)
In each rounded corner are the allegorical figures of Hope with an anchor, Peace with a dove, Plenty with a cornucopia and Wisdom with a book. The top and bottom have pastoral scenes from the story of Daphnis taken from the pattern books of Peter Stent and John Overton (3/6)
The other spaces are adorned by two large rose sprays, birds, and insects. Two other virtually identical beadwork mirrors are known to exist. The fact that these three mirrors are so closely identical suggests that they were all made in the same professional workshop (4/6)
However, perhaps the most interesting and unusual motif
deliberately included in this mirror is that of a fox. The
other two mirrors instead have a lion which has been
paired with the same unicorn. The reason for this
transformation is at present unknown (5/6)
deliberately included in this mirror is that of a fox. The
other two mirrors instead have a lion which has been
paired with the same unicorn. The reason for this
transformation is at present unknown (5/6)
The fox could possibly be representative of a family surname or used as a political statement. It is possible that there is no deeper meaning to this choice and that it was simply taken from a woodcut from Ogilby's 1666 Aesop’s Tales illustrated by Hollar and Barlow (6/6)
