Spanish Zodiac Sunburst Mirror with Sculpted Red Giltwood Frame, Arnolfini, 1950s

Stunning mid-century sun-shaped mirror, crafted in the zodiac style, featuring a convex glass in the shape of a witch's eye or banker’s mirror, handmade in Spain in the Colonial style, c. 1950. Diameter: 56 cm, dimensions of the mirror: 21 cm. The frame of this mirror has 12 roundels surrounding the central mirror. Each is hand-carved with one of the twelve zodiac signs. The carving has a naive charm, in the Neo-Renaissance style, but also recalls the Romanesque sculptures found in Spain's churches since the mid-Middle Ages. These are beautifully highlighted by the aged red painted finish of the wood, accentuated by touches of worn gold on the front and edges. The outer edge is cut into scalloped inserts, echoing the twelve signs of the Zodiac that surround the convex mirror. Convex mirrors are also known as "banker’s mirrors", and this is just one of the many names they are given. They are also referred to as butler mirrors, witch's eye mirrors, dome mirrors, diverging mirrors, or fish-eye mirrors. They are also known as bull's-eye and Flemish mirrors, particularly known due to Van Eyck's Arnolfini portrait, where one of these mirrors appears in the background. It is in very good original condition and highly decorative.