Gilt Bronze and Champleve Boudoir Mirror in Japonisme Chinoiserie French Style by Edouard Lièvre

Vanity mirror made in gilt bronze, champlevé and cloisonne enamel depicting a flower vine motif and a golden latticework on a red background. The mirror is mounted on a support forming the legs of a bird, a reticulated center of flowers that ends at the top with the motif of heads of exotic birds.

The upper part of the rectangular base repeats the floral motif of the mirror structure.

Attributed to Edouard Lièvre (1828-1886), produced by Barbedienne.

Born in Nancy, Lièvre trained as a painter under French academic painter Thomas Couture before turning his attention to decorative art design. His first important work, datable with certainty, is the large “Persan” vase designed for the Christofle firm in 1874; it was exhibited by the latter at the Paris Exhibitions of 1878 and also in 1889 and 1900. Lièvre also designed for the illustrious bronze artist Ferdinand Barbedienne.

Following Lièvre’s death, his estate was sold at two auctions in 1887 and 1890. It is believed that most of the collection (his designs, sketches, and his reproduction rights) were sold to George and Henri Pannier, owners of the elegant l’Escalier de Cristal store. The Pannier brothers produced altered versions of Lièvre’s designs, including seven Vieillard Japanese Cabinet variants, one of which was sold to Grand Duke Vladimir of Russia and is now in the Hermitage, Saint Petersburg.

France, CIRCA 1890.