Firebacks

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead on fillet edging, pictorial representation of a man and woman walking, behind the woman a child holds her train and a young person carries a parasol; from behind a column on the right, a horse's head is visible, a tree stands to the left; arched rectabular border with cavetto-moulded edging; top centre, scallop shell from which descend undulating leaf fronds; on top, a pomegranate to which ascends a serpent on each side, with a further pomegranate on each shoulder of the plate.

Notes: The pictorial scene is based on an engraving c.1642 of Friedrich Wilhelm, Elector of Brandenburg, and his wife, Luise Henriette of Oranje-Nassau, by Mathias Czwiczek; one of series of firebacks depicting allegories of the four continents.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: EVROPA

Description: Arched rectangular shape with arch; bead-on-fillet edging within a cavetto-moulded border; pictorial representation of a man and woman in the dress of the mid 17th century, with a fruit tree between them.

Notes: The significance of this design has not been satisfactorily explained. Carpentier suggests it may be a contemporary depiction of Adam and Eve.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with arch and bead-on-fillet edging; pictorial representation of a popinjay, or parrot, perched on a ring suspended by a ribbon from a bow, the bird is clutching an olive twig, other sprigs are below; arched rectangular border with arch and fillet edging; mirrored festoons of flowers and fruit suspended from roses, scrolled foliage at the bottom; on top, central scallop shell between descending dolphins.

Notes: The parrot on the ring perch is a popular design on Dutch firebacks.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial scene of the young Bacchus, a cup and bunch of grapes in his hands, seated on a barrel, surrounded by grape vines and buches, the date below the barrel, initials below, left and right; arched rectangular border with fillet edging; undulating vine design all round; on top, indistinguishable shape between two seated figures.

Notes: The seated figures on top are an unusual feature.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 1701 / A [?] AL

Description: Arched rectangular main panel; fillet edging; nude female figure standing on shield and holding a wind-blown sheet, upon a ground; suspended floral garlands with swirled foliage above; on top, a scallop shell between two symmetrical sea serpents

Notes: The figure is of Fortune. The theft in 1699 from a Thames-side warehouse of several firebacks, including '5 iron Chimney-Backs cast in the figure of Fortune standing naked on a Conchus in the Sea' may refer to this type (Post Boy 11-14 Nov. 1699).

Description: Arched, rectangular central panel with fillet edging; figure of Abundance holding a sickle and a Horn of Plenty, a child, also holding a sickle, to the right, a seated dog to the left, framed by trees; fillet-edged border with a plant pot each side, lilies issuing therefrom; above an oval shield of arms, a grotesque face above, supported by two lions.

Notes: Abundance was one of many allegorical figures to feature in the Iconologia, first published by Cesare Ripa in 1593. The style of the fireback derives from those produced in the Siegenland of NW Germany for the Dutch market, but this example may be a pastiche produced for the French market.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; pictorial figure of a winged child holding a thunderbolt in his right hand and a sceptre in his left hand, on a ground of clouds; arched rectangular border with astragal and cavetto moulded edging; two cornucopiae, flowers and leaves tumbling from them and hanging suspended down the sides; on top, two sea serpents.

Notes: The figure is of Zeus/Jupiter as a child.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: 16 [...]

Description: Arched central panel with fillet edging; figure in classical dress standing on a mound in front of a leafless tree; u; ninterrupted side and bottom border with straight fillet edges; at sides, mirrored low-relief undulating tendril design; at bottom, central leaf design; on top, central plume with hanging flower, between mirrored low-relief foliate swirls.

Notes: The figure is probably an allegory of Humility. Another example of this fireback bears the date 1746.

Description: Arched rectangular central panel with bead edging; figure of a man with a shield, brandishing a sword in his right hand; arched rectangular border with astragal and fillet edging; mirrored swirled foliate design; on top, scallop shell between two descending sea serpents.

Notes: The figure is probably a mythological subject.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Description: Cavetto canted rectangular central panel with ovolo-moulded edging, enclosing a pictorial scene of a naked female seated at a fountain on the left, with two clothed males to her right; behind, a part of a domed brick building with the inscription around the top of the wall; enclosing the scene, twin floral festoons suspended from top centre; on top, a central crown between two descending dolphins.

Notes: The scene depicts the Apocryphal story of Susanna and the Elders.

Copies of this fireback are known.

Inscription: SVSANA