Ornately Segmented Mirror. Informational label on back. 

Size: 48 x 36 1/2 in.

#3196 . 

A mirror, also known as a looking glass, is an object that reflects an image. Light that bounces off a mirror will show an image of whatever is in front of it when focused through the lens of the eye or a camera, and reverse the direction of the image in an equal yet opposite angle. Natural mirrors have always existed, such as the surface of water, but humans began manufacturing mirrors out of stone and various metals as early as 6000 BC. Common metal mirrors tarnished and required frequent polishing, with bronze showing low reflectivity and poor color rendering, and stone much worse in this regard. These defects explain the New Testament reference in 1 Corinthians 13:12 to seeing “as in a mirror, darkly.” Glass began to be used for mirrors in the 1st Century AD, with the development of soda-lime glass and glass blowing. During the Renaissance Venice became known for its much higher quality mirrors, with richly ornamented frames turning them into luxury decorations for palaces throughout Europe. In modern mirrors, metals like silver or aluminum are often used due to their high reflectivity, applied as a thin coating on glass because of its naturally smooth and very hard surface. The ease of crafting high-quality mirrors has led to a nearly endless variety of shapes, sizes and styles from Rococo to Abstract, particularly as they have become ubiquitous in homes around the world and no longer function solely as a symbol of status.