An exceptionally ornate brass fire screen in the Louis XVI taste, conceived as both a functional hearth accessory and an object of high decorative ambition. The architectural superstructure is crowned by a flaming finial rising from a lobed urn, centered above an intricately pierced cresting of scrolling acanthus and laurel ornament. The frame is executed in openwork throughout, with finely cast and chased foliate scrolls that create a light yet visually complex silhouette.
The central oval cartouche encloses a tightly woven wire mesh spark guard, overlaid with an applied trophy motif composed of a ribbon-tied quiver of arrows, a torch, and a sheathed blade, entwined with berried laurel branches and tasselled cords. The crisp modeling of the applied ornament stands in pronounced relief against the darkened mesh ground, producing depth and contrast while reinforcing the neoclassical character of the design.
At the upper sides, classically styled female busts with carefully rendered coiffures terminate the outward scrolling arms, introducing an allegorical presence to the composition. Beneath them, winged mythological beasts—reminiscent of griffins—emerge amid dense acanthus scrollwork, lending movement and sculptural vitality. The lower frieze centers a shield-form cartouche framed by bead-and-reel and foliate detail, with additional pierced ornament descending in a balanced pendant arrangement.
The screen stands on four cabriole legs enriched with acanthus carving and terminating in paw feet, providing structural stability while maintaining stylistic continuity with the upper ornament.
Dimensions
Height: 30 inches – 76cm
Width: 29 inches – 74cm
Depth: 9.5 inches – 24cm
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