Mount Vernon 1792 Reverse Painted Ornament

An image of Mount Vernon, inspired by the Edward Savage circa 1792 painting of the west front, is reverse painted on this glass holiday ornament. Reverse painting is a decorative technique long practiced by artists in Asia which was extremely fashionable in the 18th and 19th centuries. Reverse painting requires the artist to paint the design on one side of the glass so that it may be viewed the correct way from the other side. There are examples of reverse painted mirrors in the Mount Vernon Collection.
The round glass ball is presented in a red satin box. The ornament is approximately 2 ¾" in diameter.