Firebacks

Description: Carved wooden fireback pattern. Canted arched rectangular shape with cavetto-moulded astragal edging; coronet in arch; oval shield with a crowned lion lion rampant, supported two griffons reguardant, the whole within a cartouche, the bottom of which terminates in two swirls between which is a human mask.

Notes: Theodore Agrippa d'Aubigné

Arms: Theodore Agrippa d'Aubigné

Description: Upon a rectangular base plinth, wide scrolled side fillets with foliage about the scrolls and suspended bell flowers in chain above; central cartouche behind an oval shield bearing three fleurs-de-lys surmounted by a French royal crown; on top, an arch rising from horizontal moulding on each side.

Notes: Characteristic of designs illustrated by architects such as Daniel Marot.

Arms: French royal

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fillet and cavetto moulded edging; pictorial scene of three children, the centre one holding a stick strung with a bunch of grapes over his shoulder, and sitting on a goat.

Notes: A mythological scene of the young Bacchus.

Description: Rectangular; faux-ruche cavetto-moulded edging; upper centre, shield, helm, crest, mantling and greyhound supporters on a compartment; behind the arms is what appears to be a gown spread out, comprising bands of ermine.

Notes: Blazon: Azure, a bull passant or. Jean Bouhier de Savigny (1673-1746) was President of the Parliament of Burgundy from 1704. He was also a historian, translator, scholar and bibliophile. He resigned his post in Parliament in 1728 to devote himself to his historical and literary work following his election to the French Academy in 1727.

Arms: Jean Bouhier de Savigny

Description: Arched rectangular shape with arch; bead-on-fillet edging within a cavetto-moulded border; pictorial representation of a man and woman in the dress of the mid 17th century, with a fruit tree between them.

Notes: The significance of this design has not been satisfactorily explained. Carpentier suggests it may be a contemporary depiction of Adam and Eve.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular shape; fluted pilasters supporting a lintel with nine evenly spaced flowers arranged horizontally; central standing female figure, holding a basket of flowers, a child upon her back, another child by her side, and a sheep to her left; on top, a symmetrical arrangement of an anchor, two paddles and two cornucopiae.

Notes: The figure would seem to represent Charity. One of a series with a distinctly Empire style.

Description: Rectangular with ovolo-moulded edging; elaborate symmetrical rococo design framing a pictorial representation of an old man and two young women.

Notes: Carpentier (p.116) ascribes this design to Fontaine's fable of Les Oies de frere Philippe - Brother Philip's Geese.

Description: Arched rectangular shape with sloped spandrels; stepped fillet-moulded edging; pictorial scene of a behatted woman and a girl standing behind a kneeling cloaked figure of a man wearing a pointed cap and holding an open book, with a cross above it; to the left a cottage with trees and ground; to the right the frame of a building.

Notes: The scene is entitled 'Frère Luce', copied from an engraving by Nicolas Larmessin III (1656-1725), of a painting (now lost) by Nicolas Vleughels (1668-1737), from 'Suites d'Estampes Nouvelles pour les Contes de La Fontaine' (c.1736-43).

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Upon a moulded base plinth, wide scrolled side double fillets with foliage about the scrolls and suspended bell flowers in chain above; central foliate cartouche behind an oval shield surmounted by a viscomte's coronet; on top, an arch rising from horizontal moulding on each side.

Notes: Blazon: Azure, a chevron Argent between three estoiles Or, all surmounted by a bar of the second; characteristic of designs illustrated by architects such as Daniel Marot; the texturing on the shield indicates the azure tincture. See Carpentier p. 234, fig. 644.

Arms: Besset de la Chapelle

Description: Arched rectangular; astragal edging with simiulated ribbon pattern; inscription on a banner in arch; crowned roundel bearing the arms of France between two angel supporters carrying trumpets; below, a triumph of arms; on the bottom, a plain extension panel.

Notes: The motto, translated, reads 'Alone against all'; other firebacks bear the motto, 'Victorieux contre tous' (Victorious against all).

Inscription: SEVL CONTRE TOVS

Arms: France modern