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310
Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of Venus, naked and kneeling, and Adonis, standing, holding a spear in his left hand, with Cupid to the left, and a hound and a quiver of arrows below to the right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; descending swags of fruit and seashells enclosing the central panel; inscription in an oval cartouche at the bottom; on top, a Holy Roman Imperial crown between two mirrored dolphins, heads downward.
Notes: The scene is based on the painting (c.1635) of Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens; the initials, L8G, denote the style of border - other firebacks having the same inscription have the same border - and other borders are denoted by similar inscriptions (e.g. L6C and L7C).
Copies of this fireback are known.
Inscription: L8G
- Decoration tags:
- 'Dutch' (shape)
- fillet (edging)
- whole carved pattern
- pictorial
- mythological
- text
- humans
Manufactured: in the late 17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.
Current location: Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, Greater London, England.
Museum number: 1042 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)
- Attached to series:
- 'Dutch' LC/G series
- Venus and Adonis firebacks