Firebacks

Description: Canted rectangular shape; double fillet edging (top and sides) with alternating roses and diamonds between the fillets; pictorial scene of Adam and Eve, both naked, taking fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, between them, around which is entwined the serpent.

Notes: Boldly sculpted, stylised figures; the serpent is shown with a human face.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Rectangular with moulded edging; shield, forward-facing helm, lion's head crest, mantling, lion supporters, and collar of the Order of St Michael

Notes: The arms are probably those of Jean Bouchu (1597-1653), French parliamentarian: azure, a chevron between, in chief, two crescents and, in base, a lion rampant sinister or.

Inscription: 1641

Arms: Bouchu

Description: Carved wooden fireback pattern. Arched rectangular shape with fillet and astragal edging; pictorial scene of The Three Graces in an exotic rural setting, with a palm tree, roses and ?doves.

Notes: The detail of the carving is very fine

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: Upon a rectangular base plinth with an inscribed rectangle, to each side, a wide foliate scroll; central cartouche behind an oval shield bearing three fleurs-de-lys over a horizontally textured ground, supported on each side by a draped male figure, the whole 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; the texturing on the shield indicates the azure tincture.

Arms: French royal

Description: Arched rectangular shape; ovolo-moulded edging; top centre, oval shield of arms within a cartouche, supported by two unicorns rampant reguardant, their hooves resting on a scrolled compartment; behind the shield is the cape of the Président à mortier of the Parliament; above the shield, a velvet cap or mortar board of office within a coronet.

Notes: Blazon: azure, on a maltese cross argent a chevron gules between two mullets sable, and in base a rose gules. Louis-Michel Lepeletier, Marquis de Saint-Fargeau (1760-93) was a French parliamentarian. Having voted for the execution of Louis XVI Lepeletier was assassinated by a former guard of the king. The fireback dates from 1789 or later when Lepeletier was elected Président à mortier.

Arms: Louis-Michel Lepeletier, Marquis de Saint-Fargeau

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; 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 cavetto canted shoulders; wide fillet edging with cavetto moulding inside; within a baroque frame, the seated figure of an old man clasping his cloak, a smoking urn to his left.

Notes: Probably the allegorical figure of Winter.