Insiders in the fascinating field of the antique fireplace are well aware that fireplaces, just like humans, basically fall into two broad categories: Males and females. Males are Louis XVI, Empire, Directory or Louis Philippe fireplaces, basically, all those fireplaces that have square lines, 90° angles, shapes in short rather on the “serious neoclassical,” while “female” fireplaces have the soft and voluptuous lines of Louis XV, Regency and/or Louis XIV styles..
But... there are exceptions, variations on the theme, as is only right, after all, in every human happening....
Oh my God, in the world of ancient fireplaces we have not yet reached the trannies that so seem to proliferate in the more complicated world of men, but ... to “bisexuals” yes, there we have reached it...
I, and here you will understand the reason for my strange incipit to this commentary, call this very charming Demi-Lune fireplace a “bisexual fireplace" in that it, while belonging to the Louis XVI stylistic sphere (and therefore properly masculine), softens its lines with those rounded and, you will allow me, slightly feminine sides... Personally, I find this refined and elegant melange of straight and curved lines to be very apt, and I consider myself an admirer of this fireplace model, the only one that, due to the fact that it was precisely in that era HE was born, can be defined as “Napoleon III era”, I only regret that in this same era (1850-1880) most of the fireplaces built are stylistic remakes of Louis XVI (last quarter of the eighteenth century) models, while very few are Demi-Lune examples..
What “sells” the mantel I am presenting?
Above all (and how much !!) its line, its elegant architecture, deliberately foregoing too many decorative frills, conscious of its intrinsic beauty and of not needing anything else..
HE, OUR DEMI-LUNE, is content with the sculpture of a daisy in the center of the front piece (this is a tribute to Louis XIV, the SUN-KING) and the sculpture of some thin little flowers rising from the base of its plinths (these thin flowers, so directed toward the sky, are meant to represent THE RISING OF THE FAVILES).
The marble mantel is in perfect condition, the first patron is surely Parisian (and from there, think of it, it then came all the way to the Po Valley Carpi, from where we disassembled it..) and was carved in that of Pietrasanta around 1870. How much life it has already lived, this rare and to me very dear fireplace!
