Design for a Pier-glass, of Tall Oblong Form, the Border a Palmette Frieze, the Termination an Urn 1740 - 1800

Sir William Chambers created this design for a pier-glass with pen and gray ink, and gray wash on laid paper. Chambers, born in Sweden to a British merchant family, later became a leading architect in England, noted for his role as Surveyor-General and his design of Somerset House in London. Here, the unadorned central space is framed by classical motifs such as the palmette frieze and the urn, which speaks to the 18th-century obsession with antiquity. Think about how the mirror, once installed, would reflect the viewer and the surrounding interior. In this era, mirrored surfaces were not merely functional; they were potent symbols of status and taste. The design embodies the values of the Enlightenment, emphasizing order and balance, yet it also hints at the complexities of identity and representation. How might the architecture of display impact our own self-perception?