Fireplace front; Louis XV style, Spain, 19th century.
Wood carved and gilded in fine gold. On polychrome wood.
It has a later envelope.
Measurements: 131 x 162 x 63 cm.
Front of fireplace, richly carved in relief with gilded motifs. The front presents an architectural structure of baroque base, with pillars flanking a central carpanel arch and upper frieze, whose cornice is finished off by a wooden board with a moulded profile. The pillars are carved with different gilded decorative elements in the classical style. This ornamentation combines scrolls with plant-inspired decoration, whose arrangement and variegation are reminiscent of the aesthetics of the rococo style. Both pillars have the same style, following an almost symmetrical pattern. The frieze follows the patterns established in the rest of the body of the piece, highlighting the visual effect of the gilding on the neutrality of the white. In general, all the carving work denotes a classicist inspiration in the elements and a broad baroque tradition in their arrangement and use. With its sharp edges and bevelled cuts, this front reflects the taste of the time.
The Louis XVI style, which flourished in France in the second half of the 18th century, was inspired by classical antiquity and was one of the most representative of Neoclassicism. This fame and value meant that, subsequently, it continued to be one of the most frequent sources of inspiration for other decorative objects.