the oval enamel black ground 'grotesque' panel of Mercury after Etienne Delaune, the god painted standing beside a chicken under an arch topped by a pair of snails and a canopy, with flanking vases of flowers and above two jars of pouring water, the gilt-copper frame with guilloche border, shell and scroll suspension surmount and hung with a turned pendant, the sides engraved with trailing leaves, the back flat-chased with three vases of flowers on a pair of foliate scroll supports and below a winged mask flanked by drapery swags and butterflies, hinging open from the top to reveal the later bevelled glass mirror, enamel 9cm high, 14.5cm overall

The enamel is based on a print by Etienne Delaune (1518/19-1583), from a set of six ‘Grotesques à Fond Noir, Dieux et Déesses’, first executed between about 1550 to 1572/73, prior to Delaune’s departure from France (see https://www.britishmuseum.org/collection/object/P_Gg-4D-66). Etienne Delaune’s designs were popular with the enamel workshops of late 16th and early 17th century Limoges, particularly as oval plaques for mirror cases. Another mirror, almost certainly from the same workshop as the present example, is held by the Cincinnati Art Museum (No.1981.145, currently on display), see additional image. Also see another mirror, of again the same design but with perhaps less accomplished enamelling, sold Christie’s, London, 8 July 2010, lot 59.