George III Style Giltwood Mirror, Designed by Thomas Johnson

6 ft. x 37 1/2 in.
Note, in part from Cheffins: The design by Thomas Johnson (1714-1778), c. 1760, includes figures of a seated man holding an eagle, an owl, hunting dogs, and a fox with a fowl in its mouth being chased by a woman with a broom. Judge Irwin Untermyer owned the same model in his esteemed collection of English decorative arts. Johnson was widely acknowledged as one of the most accomplished wood carvers and furniture designers of Georgian England. Renowned for his dedication to the Rococo and Chinoiserie tastes, Johnson's creations stand out for their ingenious fusion of the era's most popular motifs.
In contrast to many of his contemporaries, Johnson's enduring legacy can be attributed, in part, to his published engravings which include Twelve Girandoles (1755), One Hundred and Fifty New Designs (1761), The Book of the Carver (1758), and a folio volume of Designs for Picture Frames, Candelabra, Ceilings, &c. (1758). These publications played a crucial role in propelling Johnson's reputation to global acclaim.
Judge Irwin Untermyer owned the same model in his esteemed collection of English decorative arts. This design demonstrates Johnson's propensity toward didactic material storytelling. He was influenced by the illustrator Francis Barlow, especially his depictions of Aesop's fables, which had a particular provenance within Johnson's work and influences of which can be found in the mirror. The origins of the central figure of the fox with a goose being chased away by the farmer's wife, for example, can be found in the title page of Animals of Various Species Accurately Drawn, Francis Barlow, part three of Various Birds and Beasts Drawn from Life, Francis Barlow, London, 1660-70.

Literature: Y. Hackenbroch, English Furniture with Some Furniture from Other Countries in the Irwin Untermyer Collection, Cambridge, Massachusetts, 1958, pls. 140-141, figs. 169-170, p. 36.
Highlights of the Untermyer Collection of English and Continental Decorative Arts, New York, 1977, no. 160, p. 89.

Cheffin's Fine Sale, March 21, 2024

CONDITION REPORT:

In good overall condition, with gilding refreshed. Scattered small age splits and a few very minor losses. Elaborately carved. The mirror plates with scattered oxidation. Some backboards later in date.

Notwithstanding this report or any discussion concerning condition of a lot, all lots are offered and sold "as is" in accordance with our conditions of sale.