Floral painted mirror

A large Victorian wall mirror with a black-painted wooden frame faced with a decorated canvas border. The border is hand-painted with scrolling foliate ornament and floral panels in muted reds, greens and ochres, arranged within a beaded inner moulding. The decoration shows natural wear and surface variation consistent with age, contributing to the mirror’s character. Retaining its beautiful original plate.

England, mid-19th century.

Notes Painted canvas borders of this type were commonly used in the Victorian period as a cost-effective alternative to carved or gilded frames. Examples survive less frequently than gilt counterparts due to their relative fragility.