Reverse Glass Painted Beauty with Crane and Peaches

With its folk art appeal, this reverse glass painting depicts a fashionable young woman with a crane and a basket of peaches, both traditional symbols of longevity. Thought to have developed during the Italian Renaissance, reverse glass painting spread throughout Europe and remained popular for centuries afterwards. During the Qing Dynasty, Chinese emperors became fascinated with Western art forms and encouraged court artists to practice this unusual technique. Using fine brushes, an artist worked backwards to create this portrait on glass, first painting the minute details of the facial features and patterns, then filling in the larger blocks of color seen in the woman’s blouse and skirt. The painted background has crackled over time, adding character and charm. We love the whimsy of the original painted frame.