Chimneypiece
The principal source not only of heat but also of light, the fireplace was one of the focal points in the eighteenth-century interior, around which people would gather. It had various furnishings made of gilt bronze, or provided with gilt-bronze handles, such as firedogs and fire irons that would reflect the light of the flames in their polished and matte surfaces. A garniture of mounted vases and a mantel clock were generally displayed on the mantel, while candelabra or wall lights would provide additional light.
Artwork Details
- Title: Chimneypiece
- Date: ca. 1740–50
- Culture: French
- Medium: Rance de Flandres marble
- Dimensions: Overall: 47 1/4 × 78 3/4 × 14 1/2 in. (120 × 200 × 36.8 cm)
- Classification: Sculpture-Architectural
- Credit Line: Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1906
- Object Number: 07.225.72
- Curatorial Department: European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
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Multiple artists/makers
1784
Joseph Wilton
John Wildsmith
1760
John Michael Rysbrack
1745–50
Jean-Louis Lemoyne
1739–40
Jean Le Pautre
ca. 1665–70
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