ANDIRON, TWO 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, a lion in the round sits on its hind legs with its tail curled over its back and its front legs raised and resting on a shaped shield framed with scrolled acanthus leaves. The lion, with its mouth open, turns its upper body to the side. At the other end is a small round urn with flames. The top of the platform is edged with gadrooning. The bases 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, TWO OF TWO
- Made from:
- Gilt bronze
- Made in:
- Paris, France
- Date made:
- c. 1750
- Size:
- 40 × 54.6 cm (15 3/4 × 21 1/2 in.)
Detailed information for this item
- Catalog number:
- 14.4.2
- Class:
- METAL
- Signature marks:
- Credit line:
- Bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973