Fireplace front; Louis XV style, Spain, 19th century.

Fireplace front; Louis XV style, Spain, XIX century.
Wood carved and gilded in fine gold. On polychrome wood.
Presents 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 arch carpanel and upper frieze, whose cornice is topped by a wooden board of molded profile. The pillars are carved with different gilded decorative elements of classical style. This ornamentation combines scrolls with a 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 models established in the rest of the body of the piece, thus highlighting the visual effect of the gold over 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 sharp edges and beveled 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.