The sunburst mirror may be as ubiquitous a modern decor element as a Ghost chair, and this weekend the Journal explains the origins of the vaunted looking glass. Historians believe the decorative accessory can be traced back to the years immediately following the French Revolution, when destroyed religious sculptures from looted church pulpits were given a new lease on life by antiques dealers, who affixed mirrors to the center of halos and celestial rays. [WSJ]
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