Firebacks

In the National Trust museum group

127 results

  1. 531

    pet-m-84.jpg
    592 x 758 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with cavetto-moulded edging; standing female figure holding a bunch of lowers in her left hand and a pot of flowers in her ight hand; to her left a ribbed, two-handled vase of tulips, to her right a fountain with a seated figure of Neptune/Poseidon holding a trident in the right hand; the words, Fruhling, split by the figure; above, clouds; on top a scallop shell between two descending sea serpents.

    Notes: The iconic figure of Spring.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: FRVH LING

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/84 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  2. 533

    pet-m-86.jpg
    447 x 587 mm

    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.

    Manufactured: in the late-18th to early-19th century in France.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/86 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Carpentier, H., 1912, Plaques de Cheminées (Paris, published by the author).

  3. 534

    pet-m-87.jpg
    452 x 688 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial scene of a seated couple (female to the left, male to the right) holding hands; behind, to the right, a sheep by a tree; arched rectangular border with fillet edging and probable foliate decoration; on top, scallop shell between two dolphins.

    Notes: The symbolism of this scene is uncertain, but likely to be of an allegorical or iconological nature.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/87 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  4. 535

    pet-m-89.jpg
    575 x 731 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shape; no edging; raised central square surmounted by Royal Arms of Great Britain and Ireland, with Garter, crown and lion and unicorn supporters; surrounded by a horseshoe-shaped, twisted floral wreath, within which the inscription is printed in capitals. Above the arms a raised rectangular fillet is surmounted by two suspended floral swags, one above the other, comprising roses and oak apples. On each side of the fillet are two Tudor roses, one above the other.

    Notes: Dated to between 1714 and 1801. The inscription is the visible part of an abbreviated version of the formal title of the monarch, ‘By the Grace of God, of Great Britain, France and Ireland, King, Defender of the Faith, Duke of Brunswick and Lünenburg, Arch Treasurer and Prince Elector of the Holy Roman Empire’.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: MAG BRIT FRA ET HIB REX F D BRUN ET LUN DUX / HONY SOIT QUI MAL Y PENSE

    Arms: English Hanoverian royal

    Manufactured: in the 18th century in England.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/89 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Hodgkinson, J. S., 2010, British Cast-Iron Firebacks of the 16th to Mid-18th Centuries (Crawley, Hodgers Books).

  5. 536

    pet-m-90.jpg
    549 x 798 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular shaped central panel with fillet and bead edging, Neptune/Poseidon, holding a trident in his right hand, sitting in a scallop shell drawn by four mythical sea horses, behind are two mermaids blowing horns; arched rectangular shaped border with ovolo egg and dart edging; above, two symmetrical dolphins with a clam shell between.

    Notes: Typical type of fireback produced in Germany by Dutch pattern makers; the central panel was made separately for insertion into different borders; this border is a relatively simple type.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/90 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  6. 537

    pet-m-91.jpg
    335 x 554 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-and-pellet edging on a broad fillet; nude figure of a man standing on a mound, resting his left hand on a club, a plant to his right, and drapery swags above; arched rectangular border with symmetrical swirls; monogram centre bottom; on top, symmetrical, swirled foliage.

    Notes: The figure is probably of Hercules.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: SHR

    Manufactured: in the late-17th to early-18th century in England.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/91 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  7. 550

    pet-m-92.jpg
    390 x 550 mm

    Description: Rectangular; flanged edging; rectangular upper panel with cyma recta edging; pictorial scene of Jesus sitting at the well with the woman of Samaria, inscription along the bottom edge; lower inset rectangular panel with date in relief.

    Notes: The inscription reads: From the maiden of Samaria - John 4

    Inscription: VOM FROWLEIN VON SAMARIA JOH 4 / 1649

    Manufactured: in 1649 possibly in the Eifel area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/92 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  8. 539

    pet-m-94.jpg
    362 x 570 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial scene of two men in mid-17t century dress carrying a large bunch of grapes on a pole between them, above them drapery; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; cascade of flowers around arch and down sides; on top, central crown with descending serpents, an urn on each shoulder of the plate.

    Notes: The scene depicts Joshua and Caleb returning from Canaan with a bunch of grapes (Numbers 13: 23-4).

    Manufactured: in the late-17th century possibly in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/94 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  9. 540

    pet-m-95.jpg
    753 x 1000 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of Venus sitting in a couch, with two other females, swathed in drapery, a putto holding an oval mirror to her left; Arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central cartouche at top, with festoons of fruit, flowers and leaves suspended on each side from ribbons supported by rings; at the bottom, swirled ribbon around an oval compartment bearing the inscription; on top, a central cartouche from which descend a cornucopia on each side of the arch.

    Notes: The design is a copy of 'The Toilet of Venus' by Simon Vouet (c.1640); the image has been reversed. The inscription indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L7C and L8G) indicate different borders. Von den Driesch (p.517) illustrates the same central image within an L8G border.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: L6C

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/95 (part of the National Trust museum group)

    Citation: Driesch, K. von den , 1990, Handbuch der Ofen-, Kamin- und Takenplatten im Rheinland (Cologne, Rheinland-Verlag).

  10. 541

    pet-m-96.jpg
    754 x 1005 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of a female holding a small child, with two putti, one on each next side of her; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; central cartouche at top, with festoons of fruit, flowers and leaves suspended on each side from ribbons supported by rings; at the bottom, swirled ribbon around an oval compartment bearing the inscription; on top, a central cartouche from which descend a cornucopia on each side of the arch.

    Notes: The allegorical figure of Charity; the inscription indicates the style of border; other firebacks with the same inscription have the same border; similar inscriptions (e.g. L7C and L8G) indicate different borders.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: L6C

    Manufactured: in the mid- to late-17th century in the Siegerland area of Germany.

    Current location: Petworth House, Petworth, West Sussex, England.

    Museum number: NT/PET/M/96 (part of the National Trust museum group)