An extremely rare and important mid 18th century carved giltwood Chinese export mirror painting of very large size in its original Chippendale period Irish frame, depicting a colourful bird of paradise on a flowering prunus tree scolding a falcon on a branch below, and a pair of mandarin ducks on an ornamental pond with lotus flowers, all seen through a stylized pagoda window frame, having Chinoiserie column sides with C-scrolls and vine carving with waterfall decoration and an open pagoda cresting with canopy, flanked by two opposing ho-ho birds on stylized railing. Both bottom corners with Chinoiserie follies, steps and waterfall carving and having a central open C-scroll cartouche with a carved swan on a stylised pond.
Note: The frame possibly to a design by George Semple (c1700-1782), architect of Queen Street, Dublin. An overmantle mirror with very similar design features, such as the swan in the pond, the follies and the steps, is illustrated in Irish Furniture.
Mirror paintings of this size are very rare in themselves, but in combination with an Irish Chippendale frame extremely rare indeed.