THE FIREPLACE I PRESENT TODAY IS A VERY RARE LOUIS XIV MANTEL IN CARRARA WHITE MARBLE, OF PARISIAN PROVENANCE, GREAT “CLEANLINESS” AND HOMOGENEITY, MID-NINETEENTH CENTURY ERA, EXCELLENT OVERALL CONSERVATION.
I WROTE “VERY RARE” BOTH BECAUSE NINETEENTH-CENTURY LOUIS XIVS (USELESS TO LOOK FOR SEVENTEENTH- OR EIGHTEENTH-CENTURY PERIOD ONES, YOU WOULD FIND THEM ONLY WITH SOME FORGERS AND AT STELLAR PRICES). THEY ARE QUITE RARE BOTH BECAUSE THIS SPECIFIC MODEL IS, AMONG THE RARE, EVEN RARER, AND BECAUSE VERY FEW LOUIS XIV FIREPLACES WERE CARVED IN THE NINETEENTH CENTURY, TO THE BENEFIT OF THE LOUIS XV AND LOUIS XVI STYLES.
MATTER OF FASHION...
THIS SPECIFIC FIRE SURROUND ESPECIALLY “SELLS” ITS PRIMITIVE ARCHITECTURE, A STRONG BAROQUE WITHOUT BEING “HEAVY” OR “EXCESSIVE,” IN SHORT, THE ESSENCE OF EARLY BAROQUE.
INTERESTING ITS DECORATIVE SCULPTURES, LET'S SEE THEM TOGETHER IF YOU LIKE:
IN THE LEGS, STARTING FROM THE TOP WE IMMEDIATELY HAVE A HALF DAISY (THE RISING SUN), THE MOST EXPLICIT HOMAGE TO THE SUN KING, THAT IS, TO LUIGI XIV, RULER TO WHOM WE OWE THIS STYLISM AS WELL AS THE BIRTH OF THE VERY FRENCH “GRANDEUR.”
THIS HALF MARGUERITE IS RESTING ON A “SAINT JACQUES” SHELL, A SHELL DEAR TO THE WALKERS OF THE ROUTE TO SANTIAGO DE COMPOSTELA, A SHELL ABOUT WHICH THERE WOULD BE SO MUCH TO TELL, BUT THAT'S ANOTHER MATTER..
THEN, TO FINISH THE ACCOUNT OF THE ORNAMENTATION ON THE LEGS, A GRACEFUL RIBBON HOLDS SUSPENDED IN THE VOID A FESTOON COMPOSED OF THREE CAMPANULAS.
ON THE FRONT, AN IMPORTANT AND VAST CARTOUCHE IS SURROUNDED BY FLORAL AND LEAFY ELEMENTS.
I WILL NOT TELL YOU THAT THE MASTER SCULPTOR, FOR INSPIRATION IN THE COMPOSITION OF THESE VOLUTES (ESPECIALLY FOR THE “LEAFY” ONES) LOOKED AT A HEAD OF SALAD..
I WILL TELL YOU, HOWEVER, IF ONLY TO TICKLE THE DELUSIONS OF GRANDEUR THAT DWELL IN ALMOST ALL INDIVIDUALS, THAT ON THAT SPACIOUS SCROLL YOU CAN CERTAINLY ENGRAVE YOUR INITIALS, DIVIDED OR, ESPECIALLY IF THEY ARE COUPLES, EVEN SUPERIMPOSED...
