Firebacks

Venus and Adonis firebacks

  1. 310

    hampton_court 10.jpg
    858 x 1196 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    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. L6G and L7G).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: L8G

    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)

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

  2. 446

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 086a.jpg
    575 x 760 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    Description: Arched rectangular; 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 to the right; pomegranates on top and on each shoulder of the plate, with two symmetrical, descending serpents.

    Notes: Based on the painting of Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

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

    Current location: Anne of Cleves House, Southover High Street, Lewes, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: LH000.971 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

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

  3. 557

    pet-m-49.jpg
    750 x 1060 mm
    Image subject to copyright

    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; at top of arch, grape bunches; at each side, a festoon of fruit suspended on a ribbon from a lion's head; at the bottom, an oval cartouche between flowers; on top, an urn from which descends a dolphin on each side of the arch.

    Notes: The scene is based on the painting (c.1635) of Venus and Adonis by Peter Paul Rubens; the same central panel is known with several different borders.

    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/49 (part of the National Trust museum group)