The Georgian era witnessed a revival of the Classical style. Effected as a reaction against the convolutions of Baroque art and architecture, it also reflected the aristocratic fashion for the Grand Tour. This was something of a cultural odyssey through Europe undertaken particularly by young men of leisure, the climax of their journey being Italy. The subsequent influences of Classical art and architecture are evident throughout Georgian design, evolving from early Georgian, known as Decorated Queen Anne, which still encapsulated some Dutch elements, through Palladian, Neo-Classical, and culminating in the lighter, more delicate Regency style. The whole period is broadly referred to as Neo-Classical, and as such has long been synonymous with elegance, symmetry and order. Fire Surrounds' Renaissance Origins in Interior DesignGeorgian interiors were as important as exteriors, with a new-found emphasis on home entertaining, and were intended to illustrate a cultural wealth alongside the material wealth. The fireplace was inevitably the focus of the room, and fireplace designs from this period incorporate many Classical elements. In the evolution of fireplace design the fire surround itself was an invention of Renaissance Italy and was in the first instance designed along Classical lines, namely a pair of jambs either side of the hearth with an entablature linking the two. The jambs have been variously interpreted as columns, sometimes as figures, in Neo-Classical design they became that icon of simplicity and power, the Doric column. Sometimes realised as flat pilasters, elsewhere as rounded half-columns, they are characterised by carved flutings which give them their distinctive column-like appearance. The columns usually stand on plain square or rectangular feet which is a departure from the strict Doric style, owing something to the influence of Ancient Rome and often boast carved roundels in the head of the column, called bullseyes, which in their shape are reminiscent of Classical medallions rather than grecian capitals. This feature is exploited in later designs which are distinctive owing to their more elaborate ornamentation. However, whilst the clean lines and rectangularity are perhaps the most striking features of the early Neo-Classical design, it is saved from plainness by some simple carved details. Dentil moulding across the shelf is common, as is Lotus moulding around the opening (the innermost part of the surround).The frieze tended to be unadorned at the early stages of the design, but there are examples where a third horizontal column is suggested by a fluting of the frieze, affording greater visual interest. The style evolved into a more finely detailed one; carving techniques of fluting and reeding contrived to replace the sturdier Doric-style column with one more associated with the grace of the Ionic order. The column shafts were thinner, with smoother edges, in some cases a slight curve to the line. Yet despite these variations the Georgian fireplace still retained its monumental aspect, a feature so associated with Classical art, and one that explains its enduring appeal. Neo-Classical Fireplace Motifs, Engravings and ReliefsThe Classical influence seen in Georgian fireplaces was not limited to their overall architectural structure but, particularly in later designs, was revealed in the decorative motifs encompassed throughout. These comprised, for example; human figures (both in groups and alone) lions' heads, acanthus leaves, swags, urns, satyrs' masks and dolphins. These relief carvings appeared more often in the cast-iron of the actual hob-grate in the earlier part of the period, whilst later they might feature in a central plaque of ornamentation on the frieze. The hob-grate with its two flat side plates either side of the grate (originally designed for cooking on) is characteristic of the Early-Georgian fireplace. It was not until the late 18th Century that Count Benjamin Rumford, an American inventor developed the more efficient register grate, the design of which is still used in contemporary fireplace manufacture. Nonetheless, the idiosyncratic hob-grate with its long legs and pot-belly is an attractive feature in any room and is much sought after, not least because of its comparative rarity. They are commonly made out of cast iron, with serpentine bars, with floral, foliate or Classical relief details, later associated with the Adams style. An X frame incorporating the grate was popular in the Early Georgian period, as were register grates with a more curvilinear aspect in the latter part of the Georgian era. However, where the Late-Georgian fireplace was rather more elaborate than its predecessor, the decorative subject moved from those of great Classical or mythological import to scenes of a gentler more pastoral nature. This reflected the more intimate, comfortable approach to interior design that accompanied the Regency period. Click here to view the Georgian fireplaces |
