Pair Of Androns With Marmoset, In Iron And Brass. 19th C.

The base of the head of these andirons represents the bust of a man with long curly hair, sporting a jovial face, barred by a mustache adorned with a fly. A large sphere, surmounted by a flame, crowns the whole and comes to block the wrought iron trestles thanks to a rod tightened by a nut. As for the name "marmoset", Henry HAVARD, in his dictionary of furnishing and decoration, specifies that it would not find its etymology in the term "marmot" (young child), but in "marmoretum". (marble in Latin). Because originally, the small grotesque ornamental figurines called "marmosets" were carved in marble. Subsequently, they were made of crystal, bronze, pottery, wood, precious materials: gold, ivory, silver… They adorned architectural elements and furniture. The author confirms that under the 1st Empire, the small cast iron andirons decorated with the head of a sphinx were always called "fire marmosets". The marmoset of our andirons seems to be inspired by certain characters present in Dutch paintings of the 17th century. Height: 40cm. Total depth: 47 cm. Silky bronze patina. 19th century period. Very good condition. Free shipping by COLISSIMO for metropolitan France.