Chimney-Piece
ca. 1514 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
The chimney piece was said to have been removed from the kitchen of an osteria or small inn at Como in Lombardy, northern Italy. The room from which it was taken was originally the hall (or Salone grande) of the ancient palace of the Rusconi family, at one time lords of Como. The coat of arms represents the Rusconi and Porro families and shows that the chimney piece was commissioned by Giovanni Giacomo di Beratino Rusca (or Rusconi), who married Chiara di Francesco Porro in 1513. Giovanni restored the palace at Como in 1514 and the chimney piece was probably made at that time. Fireplaces in main rooms were frequently decorated with the coat of arms of the owner and with supporting or Atlas figures on the jambs, like the male nudes shown here (both damaged, and repaired in stone and terracotta; the fig leaves are additions). Also typical are images connected with fire, such as the braziers at either end of the lintel.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 7 parts.
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| Materials and techniques | Carved stone |
| Brief description | Chimney-Piece in stone, from a palace near Como, Italy, Lombardy, about 1514 |
| Physical description | The chimney piece is supproted on two jambs, carved with male nude figures with arms raised sustaining the two consoles. Above each figure is a grotesque mask. The frieze is carved with foliated ornament; at the extremities are two female figures with grotesque animals at their breasts, and in the centre are two winged female figures holding masks flanking a central wreath containing a shield with the arms of Ruska or Rusconi (tierced in fesse, (i) an eagle displayed crowned, (2) a lion, (3) three bends, quartering the arms of Porro, three leeks, on a chief an eagle displayed beaked, membered and crowned). A the outer edges of the frieze are two braziers. ON the returns of the frieze at the sides are two pairs of seated lions supproting vases with flowers and foliated ornament. |
| Dimensions |
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| Object history | The chimney piece was said to have been removed from the kitchen of an osteria or small inn at Como in Lombardy, northern Italy. The room from which it was taken was originally the hall (or Salone grande) of the ancient palace of the Rusconi family, at one time lords of Como. The coat of arms represents the Rusconi and Porro families and shows that the chimney piece was commissioned by Giovanni Giacomo di Beratino Rusca (or Rusconi), who married Chiara di Francesco Porro in 1513. Giovanni restored the palace at Como in 1514 and the chimney piece was probably made at that time. Fireplaces in main rooms were frequently decorated with the coat of arms of the owner and with supporting or Atlas figures on the jambs, like the male nudes shown here (both damaged, and repaired in stone and terracotta; the fig leaves are additions). Also typical are images connected with fire, such as the braziers at either end of the lintel. |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | The chimney piece was said to have been removed from the kitchen of an osteria or small inn at Como in Lombardy, northern Italy. The room from which it was taken was originally the hall (or Salone grande) of the ancient palace of the Rusconi family, at one time lords of Como. The coat of arms represents the Rusconi and Porro families and shows that the chimney piece was commissioned by Giovanni Giacomo di Beratino Rusca (or Rusconi), who married Chiara di Francesco Porro in 1513. Giovanni restored the palace at Como in 1514 and the chimney piece was probably made at that time. Fireplaces in main rooms were frequently decorated with the coat of arms of the owner and with supporting or Atlas figures on the jambs, like the male nudes shown here (both damaged, and repaired in stone and terracotta; the fig leaves are additions). Also typical are images connected with fire, such as the braziers at either end of the lintel. |
| Bibliographic references |
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| Collection | |
| Accession number | 5395:7-1857 |
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| Record created | July 2, 2008 |
| Record URL |
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