8 - Mirror, TRAPANI, 17th century

Mirror, TRAPANI, 17th century Made of copper, coral, and enamel, with an elongated hexagonal shape; the mirror is set within an oval frame outlined in white and blue enamel and punctuated with small gilded crosses; the background is adorned with a profusion of drops, commas, coral buttons, and coral blossoms; the recessed frame is adorned with rows of spindle-shaped coral beads, with the coral elements set using the technique known as “retro-incastramento,” or setting from the back. The wing is outlined with a lace pattern of openwork volutes in copper enamelled in white and blue and coral rosettes, the sides adorned with coral cherub heads and enamel crowns, and the tips of each corner featuring a coral scallop shell and an enamel crown. The back is chiseled with symmetrically arranged foliage and scrollwork. H: 50 - W: 33.5 cm Red Mediterranean coral, Appendix IIB Coral, a favored and prized material for cabinets of curiosities Its origin—first mythical, according to Ovid (the blood of the Gorgon beheaded by Perseus), then religious (the blood of Christ and a symbol of Redemption)—along with its rarity, its medicinal and apotropaic properties elevating it to the status of a talisman—combined with Europe’s fascination with the natural sciences—made it a material of choice for creating works of art intended for cabinets of curiosities. Classified as falling between “naturalia” and “artificialia,” between the plant, mineral, and animal kingdoms, between the living and the non-living, and serving as a testament to the wonders and infinite variety of nature—the “mirabilia”— coral has always been a highly prized material, used both in its raw form and to create complex works of art for domestic or religious purposes. Thus, for more than six centuries, the use of coral was a common thread among the major Mediterranean, Muslim, Jewish, and Christian cultures, blending the sacred and the profane. The symbiosis between coral and faith—between paganism, Christianity, and Judaism—is evident in Trapani. The almost obsessive recurrence of the octagon in capezzale, holy water fonts, and mirrors also seems to lend these objects symbolic significance, as the number eight often carries magical connotations. Trapani: An Art Form Unique to a Region While several production centers emerged in the 17th century—including Landshut in Bavaria, as well as locations in Spain and Italy such as Naples and Torre del Greco— Trapani in Sicily was the foremost among them, building its reputation on the quality and finesse of its craftsmanship; its rise was due to the Viceroy’s Court, which commissioned various works from the artisans from the late 16th century through the 18th century. The virtuosity of the coral workers led to the creation of the Arte dei Corollari guild in Trapani in 1628. Like Murano glass or hardstone in Florence, the specialized production of works of art combining bronze and coral is intimately linked to Trapani. The composition of the work on display, combining preciousness and finesse—the whole evoking the work of a goldsmith—reflects the style prevalent in the creations of artisans from the first half of the 17th century. Several trades were involved, including carpenters, cabinetmakers, foundry workers, engravers, goldsmiths, enameliers, marble workers, and mirror makers. They strove to reproduce, with slight variations, the tried-and-true stylistic conventions prized by a clientele devoted to tradition. The technique, known as “retro-incastro,” involved inserting small fragments of polished coral into holes previously drilled in the metal, which were designed to perfectly match the shape of the coral pieces. These fragments were then secured using a mixture of pitch and wax and held in place with strips of fabric. This emphasized the contrast between the red of the coral and the yellow of the bronze, further accentuated by an enameled lace frame. The overall effect—the richness of the composition, the meticulous craftsmanship, and the chromatic balance—is evident in the mirror presented here. Bibliography: A. Daneu, *L'Arte Trapanese del Corallo*, Milan, 1964 Museo Regionale Pepoli, Coralli, Talismani Sacri e Profani, Trapani, 1986 M. C. Di Natale, Il Corallo Trapanese nei secoli XVI e XVII, Brescia, 2002 E. Tartamella, *Corallo, Storia e Arte dal XV al XIX Secolo*, Maroda, 2004 C. Del Mare, M. C. Di Natale, *Mirabilia coralii: Baroque Masterpieces in Coral by Jewish and Trapani Artisans*, 209