Gilded Bronze Fire Screen with Angels (Cherubs), Louis XV Style (4382)

Height 70.5 cm · width 72 cm · depth 20.5 cm

Gilded Bronze Fire Screen with Angels (Cherubs) — Louis XV / Rococo Style, France

This luxurious fire screen with cherubs is an exquisite work of gilded bronze (ormolu) in the spirit of Louis XV and Rococo — a pare-feu that protects the room from sparks and simultaneously adorns the fireplace as a standalone work of art. At its center, two angels (cherubs) sit on winding volutes on either side of a flame and acanthus motif, as if guarding the fire. They are framed by a rich, asymmetrical rocaille border with C and S volutes, acanthus leaves, and floral garlands, crowned with an undulating crest and supported by curved rocaille feet. Behind them is a finely perforated metal mesh that allows the heat of the fire to pass through while retaining sparks.

Craftsmanship & Period

The screen is crafted in the tradition of the Louis XV style (style Louis XV), which is based on mid-18th century Rococo with its asymmetry, shell and wave motifs, and the fluidity of natural forms. Fire screens (pare-feu) were both a practical necessity and a sign of luxury — the bronze and mesh held back sparks, while the quality of the metalwork indicated the household’s prosperity.

Rarity & Significance

Fire screens with figural putti (cherub) applications and fully preserved gilding are difficult to find today — figures are easily lost, and the mesh is often damaged. A heavy, high-quality cast example is a valuable find.

Application & Interior Use

The screen serves both functionally in a fireplace as a spark guard and as a decorative accent in front of the fireplace even outside the heating season. Its golden shimmer and angelic figures create a magnificent, photogenic detail in interior photography.

Condition

The gilding, bronze frame, putti figures, and mesh are preserved; there may be areas of gilding wear, mesh deformation, or minor retouches consistent with age and function. The condition of the item is fully reflected in the photographs.

Gift

An impressive gift for a fireplace owner, antique enthusiast, or collector.

Rococo Snapshot: The painter François Boucher reclined in a chair by the fireplace late in the evening, when the flames had already subsided to embers. Through the gilded mesh, the firelight broke into hundreds of tiny points, and two small winged bodies seemed to move in this shimmer. He smiled: that’s exactly how he would want to paint the heavens — not as a distant expanse, but as a warm, glowing intimacy right there in the room.