Radiant Reflections

To truly appreciate sunburst mirrors, one must first understand their evolution from solar symbol to wall ornament. Defined as rays emanating from a central point, the sunburst had an ecclesiastical association for centuries, sometimes appearing as saintly halos in medieval religious paintings or translated into, or cabinetmakers. As a result, leading French furniture makers of the day sometimes integrated the sun king’s symbol into their designs, further establishing the sunburst as a central motif in Western decorative arts.