Firebacks

Charity firebacks

  1. 308

    hampton_court 08.jpg
    700 x 1000 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular centrel panel with bead on fillet edging; central seated female with an infant in her arms, a swan at her feet and a standing child on each side, the one to her left facing the front and holding aloft a flaming heart, its foot on a ball; the child to her right facing the back, holding aloft a branch in its left hand, all on a ground with a tree behind to the right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; at the top of the arch a cartouche from which are suspended two ribbons, each held by a putto, from which cascade flowers and fruit, each lower part hung from a ring; two putti are on each side, one climbing on the suspended ribbon, the other at its foot; at the bottom, a cartouche containing the monogram between two clusters of flowers each suspended on a ribbon tied to a scroll; on top, two descending cornucopiae.

    Notes: The scene portrays Charity; the same central panel can be seen with different borders, and also exists in other versions.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: HIS

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

    Current location: Hampton Court Palace, Richmond, Greater London, England.

    Museum number: 1069 (part of the Royal Collection museum group)

  2. 138

    hastings_011.jpg
    610 x 840 mm

    Description: 'Dutch' style; arched rectangular shaped central panel with bead edging, figure of Charity holding a baby in her left arm and an olive branch in her right, two other children stand on each side of her, one holding a burning heart, trees in the background; arched rectangular shaped border with fillet edging and a repeated leaf pattern; on top a clam shell between two symmetrical serpents.

    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; the portrayal of Charity is derived from the 'Iconologia' of Cesare Ripa. Formerly part of the Ade Collection (from Grove Hill, Hellingly, Sussex).

    Copies of this fireback are known.

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

    Current location: Hastings Museum and Art Gallery, John's Place, Bohemia Road, Hastings, East Sussex, England.

    Museum number: HASMG: 1952.51.40 (part of the Hastings Museum museum group)

    Citation: Lloyd, N., 1925, 'Domestic Ironwork I', Architectural Review, 58, pp. 58-67.

  3. 423

    lewes,_sussex arch soc 058.jpg
    635 x 925 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; standing female figure, classically dressed, holding a child in her arms, another child holding a wreath, seated to her left, and a putto standing to her right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; mask top centre with descending floral bunches on ribbons, with a cartouche centre bottom; on top, two symmetrical descending serpents.

    Notes: The figure represents Charity, one of a several iconic figures portrayed on firebacks of this period.

    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: LH000.947 (part of the Sussex Archaeological Society museum group)

  4. 554

    pet-m-46.jpg
    657 x 915 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial scene of a seated female holding a small child, with two putti, one on each side of her, the one on her right holding an olive branch, the one on her left holding a flaming heart, his foot aginst a globe; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; top centre, laurel wreath from which descend festoons of flowers and fruit suspended from roses; at the bottom, a cartouche containing the intials between two cornucopiae; on top, a scallop shell between two descending dolphins.

    Notes: The group is an allegorical representation of Charity

    Copies of this fireback are known.

    Inscription: H S

    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/46 (part of the National Trust museum group)

  5. 1017

    unknown_93 540x760.jpg
    540 x 760 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular central panel with fillet edging; central seated female with an infant in her arms, a swan at her feet and a standing child on each side, the one to her left facing the front and holding aloft a flaming heart, its foot on a ball; the child to her right facing the woman, holding aloft a branch in its left hand, all on a ground with an overhanging tree to the right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging with descending festoons of acanthus flowers on each side, the date and initials at the bottom and, at the top on each side, a pair of acanthus flowers descending from a heart-shaped terminal of a strapwork frame; above, mirrored swirls of foliage.

    Notes: The central pictorial scene is a crude pastiche of a panel portraying an allegory of Charity frequently used on firebacks produced in the Siegerland of north-west Germany for the Dutch market in the second half of the seventeenth century. The swirled foliage on the top is typical of English 'Dutch' style firebacks of the early-eighteenth century and the numerals are also more typically English in style.

    Inscription: 17 . IAK[?] 31

    Manufactured: in 1731 in England.

    Current location: not known.

  6. 784

    west_hoathly, upper pendent.jpg
    796 x 1133 mm

    Description: Arched rectangular centrel panel with bead on fillet edging; central seated female with an infant in her arms, a swan at her feet and a standing child on each side, the one to her left facing the front and holding aloft a flaming heart, its foot on a ball; the child to her right facing the back, holding aloft a branch in its left hand, all on a ground with a tree behind to the right; arched rectangular border with bead edging; fructal and floral festoons suspended on ribbons with two putti at the top and two on each side; at the bottom, a central cartouche with illegible date, between floral swags; on top, twin spirals between descending floral festoons.

    Notes: The group is an allegory of Charity. A recasting.

    Copies of this fireback are known.

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

    Current location: in private hands, West Hoathly, West Sussex, England.