Fireplace (Chimney Piece and Mantel) Design
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-386-5
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
This 1712 print by French artist François II de Poilly (1666–1741), titled Fireplace (Chimney Piece and Mantel) Design, presents a detailed rendering of a fireplace ensemble. Such designs captured the chimney piece and mantel as essential features of period interiors, blending practical heating with decorative presence. In early 18th-century France, ornamental prints like this one were key to sharing architectural ideas among artists, craftsmen, and patrons. They helped spread fashionable approaches to interior elements, allowing designs to be studied, adapted, and implemented in homes across...