Rococo Mirror Attributed to Filippo Passarini, Rome, circa 1680

Important mirror in finely carved and gilded walnut.
The rectangular frame serves as a focal point for large, deeply carved, and strongly curved acanthus leaves that project well beyond the plane of the frame, particularly in the upper section where the scrolls extend far beyond the frame.

In good condition, original mercury gilding, minor restorations consistent with age and wear.

Italian work attributable to the sculptor Filippo Passarini, Rome, circa 1680.

Dimensions:

Height: 83 cm Width: 87 cm

The nature of the decoration, the remarkable technical virtuosity, and the deliberate expansion of the composition in the upper part of the mirror, where the decoration extends well beyond the frame, are characteristic features of Filippo Passarini's style. All of these elements are found in his engravings, and more specifically in an engraving of a mirror and its console, published on page 113 of Daniela Di Castro's book, "Filippo Passarini, mobilière, décoratore, Incisore" (Filippo Passarini, Furniture Maker, Decorator, Engraver).
Passarini exerted a lasting influence on decorative sculpture, and his vocabulary was widely adopted, particularly by numerous followers established in Rome during the first part of the 18th century.
However, our mirror stands out clearly from these later works due to the power of its carving, the generosity of its volumes, and the absolute mastery of high relief, which imitate an autograph work created at the height of his career, in the 1680s and 1690s.