Style Napoleon III / Ref.9214

Paul Soyer : Mirror with putti, enameled grisaille on gold base and blackened wood

The blackened wood frame of this mirror has a prominent top central carved motif of a cartouche and leaves ; its sides and bottom are more discreetly carved. This décor is enriched all around the mirror with inlayed enameled plaques painted in grisaille on a base of gold monochrome. Busts of winged putti in small square shaped plaques adorn the four corners; the sides are decorated with rectangular plates of putti and female figures.
The top plate shows an angel holding a mirror up to a second with a jewelry box on his lap, who is offering a necklace to a third. This theme celebrating feminine beauty relates directly to the use of this mirror.
In the bottom, putti flutter about and play, and on both sides a young lady carrying a bouquet of flowers floats in a flowing gown as a pair of loving puttis gaze down from above.
All these figures appear on a backdrop of celestial clouds and monochrome gold lacework. The objects carried by the figures (jewelry box, quiver, basket) are also illumined with gold.
This piece combined two cameo techniques used in similar fashion in Paul Soyer’s oval portraits. The Soyer workshop specialized in producing enameled plaques for small household furnishings namely for boxes and frames, but also by order for other cabinetmakers.

Paul Soyer (1832-1903)
Paul Soyer started his career working as a metal carver in Paris in the 1850’s. He progressively learned enameling techniques and opened an enameling-engraving workshop in 1861, rue Mauconseil, in Paris, in an area between Les Halles and Bonne Nouvelle. He worked with famous enamellers and goldsmiths, such as Claudius Popelin, Charles Duron or Gustave Baugrand. Through his work with the third, he was rewarded his first bronze medal at the World’s Fair of 1867.
After this, Soyer opened a larger workshop, in the same area, at 4 rue Saint-Sauveur, and specialized in different enameling techniques, with a preference for painted enamel. He had a very broad range, from small decorations for jewelry makers, to enameled objets d’art for goldsmiths, to plaques for furniture makers. Emulator of Popelin, he remained faithful to the Renaissance and early XVIIth century styles, with his taste for polychrome enamels associated with grisaille and gold monochrome.
Soyer participated in all the French and foreign World’s Fairs and in all the Exhibits of the French Central Union of Arts applied to the Industry – later know as the Central Union of the Decorative Arts. He received many rewards including the gold medal in the 1878 Word’s Fair. In 1889, he both became a member of the jury of the fair and received the highest French honor: la Légion d’Honneur.