Since the dawn of civilization man has used mirrors for practical and religious purposes. They can be seen as a symbol of vanity or an object of insight; today they are even used as safety and security devices.
From the biblical “through a glass darkly” to Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass;" mirrors imbue our folklore and popular culture with a reflection not only of ourselves and the world around us, but into other worlds as well. Mirrors have also taken on many forms as society has changed and new technologies were invented.
In order for a smooth surface to act as a mirror, it must reflect as much of the light as possible and must transmit and absorb as little as possible. In order to reflect light rays without scattering or diffusing them, a mirror’s surface must be perfectly smooth or its irregularities must be smaller than the wavelength of the light being reflected. (The wavelengths of visible light are on the order of 5 by 10−5 cm).
In a new book “Mirrors: Reflections of Style,” author Paula Phipps gives the reader a timeline of the evolution of mirrors from hand held vanity objects, to larger wall mounted decoration, to its use as a surface material.
The concept of a mirror is ancient but the materials used to make them have evolved throughout time. Today we would define a mirror as silvered glass, a process that was developed in 1835 by chemically altering the backside of glass using silver nitrate. While silvering is a relatively new idea, many cultures have used polished stone, metal, or even still water as a mirror since antiquity.
The mirrors used in Greco-Roman antiquity and throughout the European Middle Ages were simply slightly convex disks of metal—bronze, tin, or silver—that reflected light off their highly polished surfaces.
A method of backing a plate of flat glass with a thin sheet of reflecting metal came into widespread production in Venice during the 16th century; an amalgam of tin and mercury was the metal used.
It wasn't until 17th century when the use of mirrors in the palace of Versailles gave decorative mirrors on a whole new life. From then onward, mirrors—and their frames—played an increasingly important part in the decoration of rooms. The early frames were usually of ivory, silver, ebony, or tortoiseshell or were veneered with marquetry of walnut, olive, and laburnum.
By the end of the 18th century, painted decoration largely supplanted carving on mirrors, the frames being decorated with floral patterns or classical ornaments. At the same time, the French started producing circular mirrors, usually surrounded by a Neoclassical gilt frame that sometimes supported candlesticks, which enjoyed great popularity well into the 19th century. Improved skill in mirror making also made possible the introduction of the cheval glass, a freestanding full-length mirror, supported on a frame with four feet. These were mainly used for dressing purposes, though occasionally they had a decorative function.
New, cheaper techniques of mirror production in the 19th century led to a great proliferation in their use. Not only were they incorporated into pieces of furniture, such as wardrobes and sideboards, but they were also used extensively in decorative schemes for public places.
Today, mirrors have become a way to expand a room, bring depth into a space and even to just create an interesting design aesthetic. From hand held to room walls, mirrors have taken many forms and purposes throughout history.
What will be a mirror's next transition with society?
