Reflecting beauty is a lengthy task. A task involving the hands, the heart and the soul. For this reason, Ongaro e Fuga artistic mirrors entail processing techniques that can exceed 100 hours and comprise thousands of decorative elements.
The skilled hands of Ongaro e Fuga craftsmen transform an idea into an art object. Imagine the noises and the creative ferment of a craftsman's workshop. Experience how an artistic mirror comes to be.
The paper drawing becomes a wooden creation. The glass plies to the shapes. The stone or diamond grinding wheels refine the edges and engrave the decorations. The magic of silver-plating allows beauty to be reflected on the glass surface. And, lastly, the harmonious merger of each component gives rise to the Ongaro e Fuga artistic mirror.
Our designers start with an idea, including from our customers, and create paper sketches of the mirrors to produce, which are then verified and developed in detailed drawings on a scale of 1:1 to carve the wooden mirror base and define the decorations.
Using the drawings and wooden bases, the glass details are prepared by cutting them to size and creating curls and curves. The cut pieces are then processed by the grinder so as to soften and/or define the curves and the corners of each individual piece.
The master engraver verifies the ground pieces and decides on the layout of the decoration comprising figures (e.g. Queen and Knight) and/or patterns (twigs, rosettes, flowers and meshes) and, using a lathe, he engraves them on the glass pieces.
During this phase, the glass - both engraved and not - turns into a mirror using age-old formulas and slow processes that lead to the creation of a perfectly mirrored surface. During this phase, the distressing process can also be carried out, in other words a process that lends the mirror a distressed look, reproducing characteristics spots that form with the passing of decades.