Looking Glass 1777 - 1780

Curator: It strikes me as stately, almost… presidential? But also quite dark for a mirror. Editor: Well, let's illuminate that a bit. What you're seeing is a "Looking Glass," crafted between 1777 and 1780 by Stephen Badlam. We're lucky enough to have it here at The Met. He was known for his exquisitely carved woodwork, and you see a mahogany structure, richly adorned, especially the triumphant bird at the crest. Curator: A bird indeed! Is that an eagle? Because suddenly my "presidential" hunch makes even more sense. But back to the darkness... it's like a portal into another era. I wonder what faces it has reflected over the centuries. Editor: Likely the faces of the affluent, gazing back at themselves amidst the burgeoning American elite. That eagle isn’t just any bird, it's a powerful emblem, especially then, newly adopted for a brand new nation. This mirror wasn’t merely reflective; it was a declaration, perched on the walls of colonial high society. Curator: So it's less about vanity, and more about… political posturing? I find that fascinating, how objects become these silent megaphones for the zeitgeist. Editor: Precisely! These mirrors allowed individuals to see themselves within the aspirational context of the young republic. Every glance wasn't just checking appearances, but affirming one's place in a grand historical narrative being carved out in real time. Curator: And the craftsmanship itself is pretty dazzling, I am especially drawn to the symmetrical design and the gilded details that offer the necessary amount of grandeur for the aesthetic Neoclassicism. I feel myself transported! I am in love. Editor: It’s quite seductive to think of these things continuing to carry traces of our collective stories and anxieties... Curator: Yes! Gazing into such an artwork opens our minds to a unique encounter that is, undoubtedly, profound.