Alexandre ALFONSI (1886-1944)
Oriental mirror by Alexandre ALFONSI (1886-1944)
Wood inlaid with mother-of-pearl, mother-of-pearl burgau, tortoiseshell
Algiers, early 20th century
H. 50 cm - L. 46 cm AR
This mirror is composed of two leaves with rich decoration inlaid with tortoiseshell and mother-of-pearl. Under an upper band with an inscription, there are scale motifs at the top, stars framed by crescents in the center, and checkerboards in the lower part.
The mother-of-pearl inlaid inscription reads: "No power other than the divine". This phrase, taken from a North African inscription, is not perfectly spelled, for example the letter qaf, which has only one dot, is typical of the Muslim West.
The two doors open onto three mirrors set in arcatures with mother-of-pearl crescents.
