ATTRIBUTED TO BURCHARD PRECHT, EARLY 18TH CENTURY

This elegant mirror, with its cresting depicting Diana, can be attributed to the work of Burchard Precht (d. 1738). The name of Precht is closely associated with the production of mirrors of the highest quality in 18th Century Sweden and numerous examples are attributed to either Burchard Precht (d.1738) or his sons Gustav (d. 1763) and Christian (d. 1779). Originally from Bremen, Burchard Precht arrived in Stockholm in 1674. In 1687-88 he travelled to Rome and Paris with the court architect Nicodemus Tessin. The Baroque interiors he saw strongly influenced his work and Precht became a key proponent of the development and enrichment of the Swedish baroque style. One distinctive aspect of Precht’s work is the use of finely detailed gilt-lead mounts which can be seen on the corners of this mirror. A related example is in the Nordic Museum, Stockholm (NM0087239).