Mirrors and Frames: The Frame is More Important Than the Mirror

An Art Nouveau mirror. The mirror surface itself is an irregular shape: wide and undulating at the top edge, narrowing at the bottom; the true content is the outer frame—a set of curved wooden or wrought iron plant lines, particularly lush at the top and extending to the sides, almost disappearing at the bottom. The frame material might be inlaid with a few pieces of stained glass. It hangs above a fireplace or cabinet. Avoid: using regular square and round mirrors, making the outer frame uniform on all sides, making the frame into geometric moldings, using ready-made decorative gold frames.

Translated from Chinese by AI.

一面新藝術的鏡子。鏡面本身是不規則的形狀:上緣寬而起伏、下緣收窄;真正的內容是外框——一組彎曲的木作或鍛鐵植物線條,在上方特別繁茂並向兩側延伸,下方幾乎消失。框的材質可能鑲嵌著幾片彩繪玻璃。它掛在壁爐或櫃體的上方。避免:使用規則的方形與圓形鏡、讓外框上下左右一致、把框做成幾何的線腳、使用現成的裝飾金框。