ANDIRON, ONE OF TWO

Creator(s): Unknown (Workshop)

On view in: Dining Room

About this object

In the eighteenth century, andirons (also called firedogs) acted as vehicles for decorative sculpture, as is evident here. Pairs of andirons like these would have been placed inside the fireplace so that the gilt bronze decoration concealed the wrought iron log supports.

At the outer end of the firedog sits a lion, his face turned outwards and its front legs resting on a shaped shield framed with scrolled acanthus leaves. Its tail curled over its back. At the other end is a small round urn with flames. The top of the platform is edged with gadrooning. The base under the lion rests on two lion's paw feet combined with acanthus scrolls which continue to a scroll foot at the other end.

Object name:

ANDIRON, ONE OF TWO

Made from:

Gilt bronze

Made in:

Paris, France

Date made:

c. 1750

Size:

15 3/4 × 21 1/2 in. (40 × 54.6 cm)

Detailed information for this item

Catalog number:

14.4.1

Class:

METAL

Signature marks:

Credit line:

Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973