The Gloire convex mirror is all about how shades of metallic gold shine through transparent glass. In this case, clear Venetian rods in various diameters. These rods are used by the artisans on the island of Murano to make beads. Go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n0Tep5t6kkI to see how this is done.
The Gloire convex mirror is about 12 inches in diameter. It is being shipped to my Atlanta showroom, Ainsworth-Noah. Call 404-231-8787 for more information.
Jewelry for Walls!
The Gloire convex mirror is named for one of Louis XIV’s life ambitions, the pursuit of glory regardless of the consequences. Louis XIV( 1638-1715) was the longest reigning monarch in European history. He was king for over 72 years. He was known as the “Sun King”.
Louis reigned over France as it became the most powerful country in Europe. After the noble’s uprising known as the Fronde, Louis was determined to rule France as an absolute monarch and to reduce the power of the nobility to the point where they were no threat. In order to do this he expanded his father’s hunting lodge of Versailles into one of the largest and most dazzling palaces in the world. All the nobility were expected to attend the court at Versailles and vie for any empty favors Louis deigned to give them.
His wars and his mania for building nearly bankrupted France. Those who suffered most were the poor and Louis was famously callous to their plight.
Much has been written about Louis XIV. To distill his personality would describe two people. On one hand he was extremely polite and courteous to all. He was hard working and punctual( his daily schedule was rigid). He was a great supporter of the arts. He was sexy. He was sentimental. He was pious. He enjoyed enormous meals. On the other hand Louis was intolerant, ruthless, religiously bigoted and indifferent to the discomfort, inconvenience or suffering of others. Louis was aggressive in war but for his own glory not for justice. He was a notorious libertine. In the end, Louis XIV was an arrogant hypocrite.
Louis was a discriminating patron of the arts, including Moliere, Le Brun, Le Vau, Mansart, and Lully. His state established or developed in rapid succession academies for painting and sculpture, science, architecture and music. However his support for the arts was meant to control them and to have them reflect his own glory.
Louis lived so long that he outlived his time. The court had become calcified with etiquette. He had outlived his son and his grandson. His heir was a five year old boy. He died an agonizing death due to gangrene in his leg.
Note: As a young man Louis XIV was a talented ballet dancer. As a teenager he starred in a court ballet dancing the role of Apollo, the god of light, the arts, healing and a myriad of other things. One of his symbols was the sunburst. Hence, the Sun King was created.
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