Mirrors and Looking Glasses (2024)

Phsycs tells us that a mirror is a reflective surface that bounces off light, producing an image. In literature we can read about Alice going through the looking glass, Snow White’s evil stepmother’s magic mirror and Snow Queen’s shards of mirror. Latvian Theatre father Ādolfs Alunāns likened theatre to a mirror, where we can look at ourselves. We even have common phrases like eyes are the mirror of the soul.

Mirror still is a part of our daily life, but hand mirrors from older times are different from more simple compact mirrors we use today. The exposition holds mirrors that were used from the end of 19th century to the middle of the 20th century. These mirrors are creatively decorated by hand painting, incrusting with pearls, crocheting and even decorating with dried butterflies.

The collection of mirrors includes mirror images in postcards, advertisments and magazine covers in different languages, lithographies and porcelain figurines.

Collection is created by journalist of Latvijas Radio 4 Ilona Jahimoviča, who continues to add delicate pieces to her collection from Latvia and different countries.

We welcome you to a boudoir of a lady to look both at the beautiful mirrors and yourselves, because what is a mirror without the reflection.

The opening of the exhibition on June 7th at 4 pm.

The exhibition will be open from June 7th till August 4th, 2024.