This morning, as I was about to write the commentary on this IMPORTANT fireplace, I began to worry.... It happens to me once a year (TO WORRY), since fireplaces of such importance and beauty are found one mantel a year if it goes well ... . It happens to me once a year, I said, to worry at the thought: Will I be able to explain to those who read me the many peculiarities of his sculptures, the artistic modes of his design, the “speeches” or, if you prefer, the “messages” that every inch of his surface addresses to me who stand before HIM, to you who are looking at him in the computer screen, and will address to the family who will make this GREAT work of art their own?!!?
So, whatever, let's cut the nonsense and fears and get to the beginning of the commentary:
Let's start with the choice of his marble, a Golden Calacatta (or “Calacatta Oro,” if you prefer).
This marble has a very white “background" (it is calcium carbonate, the same as the most important marble in the world, THE ITALIAN "STATUARIO CARRARA"), a background that is enriched and dressed with a happy invasion of grey, yellow, reddish and black veining, even with reflections and shades that look like bleu.. All these colorations depend on mineral oxides contained in calcium carbonate, such as iron, sulfur, quartz and hematite.
THIS MARBLE WAS ONE OF COSIMO DE MEDICI'S FAVORITE MARBLES AND CAN BE SEEN IN THE MOST IMPORTANT FLORENTINE VILLAS AND CHURCHES.
Now let us examine its many sculptures, starting with the frontal, in which there are six flowers, two daisies (placed at the left and right limits of the frontal itself). First message: The pair of daisies is a tribute to the Sun King, the 17th-century Louis XIV, the one who achieved and gave the French their ... “GRANDEUR” Louis XIV's Grandeur was a concept that embraced his absolute power and influence over culture and art. The Sun King, in fact, considered himself omnipresent and master of the entire kingdom. IT IS FOR THIS REASON THAT, SINCE THE 600s, ALL FRENCH PEOPLE (see Macron) BELIEVE THEMSELVES TO BE SUPERIOR TO ANY OTHER HUMAN BEING.
Whatever, given the little flowers (which are nothing more than a kind of "court," let's look at the FULCRUM, the central part of our fireplace, in which three leaves are represented: The largest in the center represents the head of the family, the smaller ones on the sides the rest of the family.
Why this floral choice? The Oak is the King of Trees, revered since ancient times as a symbol of strength, boldness and longevity. The Oak leaf is dedicated to people who are brave, noble, independent and have their feet firmly on the ground. In essence, this choice was mostly an auspicious and hopeful decision towards the whole family.
Well, now we can turn to the sculptures on his legs.
The most important element, again, are their leaves.... Can't you see them!
Well, it is not easy since, to both the pedestal and the capital, said leaves are adhered like a glued-on covering.. It will mean that you will enjoy them to the fullest when you have purchased our fireplace.... For what is my experience in the art field (my talking cricket: “Ehh but how many airs are you putting on this morning ... “artistic field” ... after all, all you do is sell fireplaces ..you're just an ordinary dealer, not a sculptor.... Come on, valà, calm down..") I was saying before my Cricket interrupted me! Ah yes, I think the acanthus leaf is the most sculpted leaf in the whole world.... Why, you may wonder! Ask me because otherwise you will block my comment.... Thank you for the question.. Here is the answer to this important question: Why is the acanthus leaf the most popular sculpture in the Western world? What important (and perhaps sacred) reasons are there!
Unfortunately, I must disappoint you, the reason for this notable sculptural leaf presence is, how shall I put it, rather venal, simplistic and lacking in high considerations: The fact is that the ACANTHOUS grows even in the stoniest, uncultivated and driest soil, in short, it sprouts even where no other sapling could and that is why the ancients hailed its leaf as a symbol of ..RESURRECTION!!!
AND WHO WOULD NOT WANT TO BE PROTECTED BY THIS SYMBOL CAPABLE OF RESURGENCE!!! Hence its remarkable diffusion,more or less like it was a good luck charm, a Neapolitan croissant or an Indian amulet.
DISAPPOINTED, EH...?!
But there are so many other nice things to discover in his many other sculptures.
So let's start again with the acanthus leaves on the leg pedestals....
Can't you see a series of delicate little flowers rising from those leaves, one on top of the other, towards the top of the legs!!! Well, these little flowers represent the rising of the sparks.... And... take note... said sparks come out of a kind of “pencil” (that's what many modern insensitive architects call it), which, however, pencil is not, but rather a “POMPEIAN FLUTE,” for it was there, in Pompeii that said flute was discovered, frescoed on the walls.
THE LAST THING I CANNOT HIDE from those who are reading me is its very strange name, MACARON.. What “macarons” are you all know, don't you? They are round cookie-like treats and normally displayed in more than one row in the windows of pastry shops ...
TO BETTER UNDERSTAND WHAT I AM GOING TO WRITE IN A MOMENT BELOW, I SUGGEST THE READER TO GO, SCROLLING THROUGH THE PICTURES OF THIS FIREPLACE, TO VIEW THE LAST 4 OR 5 PHOTOGRAPHS, WHICH DEPICT INTERESTING MOSAICS THAT HAVE A LOT TO DO WITH THE DECORATIONS OF OUR FIREPLACE.
Well, some important fireplaces (we have a few mantels ourselves in the Louis XVI section and/or the High Range section) had the front carved with a series of small round decorations with floral motifs, hence the family name of the fireplace I am presenting to you..
The only difference between “our” Macaron and the “normal” Macarons lies in the fact that the mantels of the many little flowers of the normal Macaron specimens is nothing more than a kind of “stole” with a regular design that gradually surrounds and connects between them all the little flowers placed in a row.. In our very special MACARON this stole has been replaced (with an extra month of work for the very fine sculptor from Pietrasanta who created this work of art) by a kind of lattice of very fine branches and flowers, A PARTICULAR FEATURE THAT NOT ONLY MAKES OUR EXEMPLARY “A UNIQUE PIECE,” BUT ALSO THE MOST ELEGANT AND REFINED MACARON IN THE WORLD.
P.S: A curiosity that will certainly be of interest to the lucky buyer: This “fashion” of lining up and joining together a series of small, round decorations did not originate from the pencil of the Parisian architect who designed our fireplace, but was born in Rome between 600 and 700 AD. It was at that time that a family of very good mosaicists (Cosmati was the name of this family) invented this design for their own decorations in churches, in the houses of Roman patricians and leading clergymen. Their activity lasted for several centuries (at least until 1400 A.D.) and their way of working became the “COSMATESQUE STYLE,” ALL THE TIME KNOWN AND APPRECIATED BY THE MOST GOOD ARTISTS AND ARCHITECTS.
