Louis XIV Collection
French style luxury mirror
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The evolution of the mirror industry in France is due to Jean-Baptiste Colbert (1616-1683). Between 1665 and 1667, Colbert encourages the expatriation of some Venetian mirror masters who start producing excellent quality mirrors on behalf of French commissioners.
Unlike expectations and promises, Venice inhabitants do not intend to transfer their knowledge to the French people. The fight between the Serenissima and Colbert seems to have been solved in favour of the latter: in fact, the experience with Venetian artisans enables the French to carry out an independent production which will undermine the Serenissima monopoly over time.
French mirror did not presents glass decorative elements (such as leaves or flowers) and it is rarely decorated with inserts in other materials. The French production structure (based on great manufactures, each one operating on a unique canonized sector) did not want to support those industrial contaminations which are present in the Venetian production.
Moodboard Louis XIV
Inspired by Louis XIV
Feel the magic
Iconic, opulent and sometimes astonishing. That is what better reminds us the greatness of Le Roi Soleil. La France, Paris and its Grandeur. The Louis XIV collection takes inspiration from the glorious regency of one of the most famous king of the history. Mirrors are made of golden details and the etches are as geometrical as one of the most recognizable symbol of all: the Tour Eiffel.
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Louis XIV
Paris is always a good ideaAudrey Hepburn
Engraving tradition
French decor on glass
The geometrical way of engraving
French mirrors evolved towards a style which prefers decorative patterns of hand-bevelled mirrors element. They have a formal composition. Engraving of pieces is characterized by a predisposition to enhanced wheel grinding and by an aesthetic aspect which approaches the German and Bohemian style (the geographic proximity between France and Germany certainly determined such a stylistic approach). As a consequence, in the mirrors the engraved decorative element tends to be more geometrical and less figurative.
