Louis XVI style Trumeau Mirror, French c. 1850, 45 x 64”, $6,388, from Carl Moore Antiques.
You’ve probably seen one in the movies, in a museum, or in someone’s home but didn’t know the proper term. During the reigns of Louis XV and Louis XVI, large mirrors mounted within the paneling over a mantel or between windows would often have a painting incorporated above. This is what is referred to as a Trumeau Mirror.
Trumeau is an architectural term designating space between vertical elements in an interior such as space between doors, windows, or pilasters. And in the century prior to the French Revolution it was much in vogue to fill the space with mirror in order to reflect light.
Nowadays, Trumeau is the decorative arts word for a mirror with a picture on top.
Louis XVI style Trumeau Mirror, French c. 1830, 35 x 83.5”, $4,482, from Carl Moore Antiques.
Considering a classic example of a Trumeau Mirror for my blog readers I immediately thought of my friend Geoffrey Westergaard of Carl Moore Antiques—it is exactly the kind of thing that can be found in his inventory. And surely it was. In fact, Geoffrey not only had a few mirrors with a painted panel above but also mirrors with a carved panel above. The carved appliques are referred to as trophees.
Today a designer might place a Trumeau Mirror above a mantel or in a foyer above a console table, though now they are rarely built into the wall. I love them. They can be quite architectural and combine mirror with artwork. What’s not to like?
Further, these mirrors do not have to be in such a grand scale. I remember great-grandpa Odelon Broussard had a modestly scaled Trumeau in his den which revealed a nude woman in the top panel—he used to say that it was Grandma when she was young.
Trumeau Mirror with drawing by Troy Broussard, 2015.
So why the renewed interest in the Trumeau Mirror? It is surely egocentric, of course…
Trumeau Oak, 2105, by Troy Broussard
A few years ago I substituted one of my drawings into a diminutive Trumeau that I use in my shower for shaving. Last week I was in a little shop and snapped up a small gold leaf Trumeau–it is a charming vintage frame with mercury losses in the looking glass. After a couple hours of sketching I came up with a square drawing to place within its top panel. I think it will be perfect in Mother’s room at the retirement center. That’s got to be better than roses for Mother’s Day, isn’t it?
Trumeau Shaving Mirror by Troy Broussard, 2013.
Don’t forget to click on the photos for a better view. And since a picture is worth a thousand words, two thousand thanks to Geoffrey for his images to illustrate proper Trumeau Mirrors. Find a few more great examples and other beautiful antiques at the Carl Moore Antiques link below.