Vintage Peruvian Reverse Painted Glass Tray with Andean Village Scene

A hilltop village spills down this vintage reverse painted glass tray, all whitewashed houses and terracotta roofs, with green mountains rolling away behind. In the square below, women in full skirts and bright shawls carry bundles and tend their clay pots, figures in hats stride uphill, and a little dog trots along with them. Every inch is busy, which is exactly why we love it.

Reverse glass painting has deep roots in Peru. The artist paints the scene backwards onto the underside of the glass, laying down the fine black outlines first and the colours behind them, so the finished picture sits protected beneath a smooth glassy surface. The pale sky here has a crinkled, mother of pearl shimmer where foil appears to have been set behind the glass, a finish often seen on Peruvian pieces. There is no maker's mark, but the scene, the costume and the method all point to the Andes, and we would place it around the 1970s or 1980s.

The glass is set onto a wooden base and finished with a bentwood rim painted in antique brass. It measures 33cm in diameter and 3.5cm high. There is a hook on the back, so it can hang on the wall as a picture in its own right, which is what we would be tempted to do, or come down to carry drinks when friends arrive.

The painted panel and glass are in good order. The brass finish on the rim has worn and chipped in places, showing the pale wood beneath, which suits a piece with this much character, and the wooden back shows marks from age and handling.

Hang it in a kitchen among plates and baskets, prop it on a dresser shelf, or set it on an ottoman as a tray for glasses and a jug. It looks wonderful with terracotta, rattan, woven textiles and plenty of colour, and would bring real warmth to a plain white wall.