English, 1830-35, giltwood, tapestry, 76/1154

Firescreen, of trestle form, in frame of carved and gessoed wood, now oil gilded, the panel set with a panel of tapestry woven with a scene from Aesop's fables, showing a dog looking at his reflection in water.
The frame is raised on out-turned pairs of feet, moulded and carved with double C-scrolls that end in up-turned scrolls. Low struts, rising from above each pair of feet and carved with scrolling foliage, support the main frame, which is also carved with long scrolls, decorated at the base, on the upper half of each side and on the cresting with flowers, leaves and scrolls. There is some piercing in the carving at the shoulders, the centre of the sides and the middle of the lower rail. The cresting is carved with a large, cushioned, cartouche, with leafy decoration.
The ornament all over the back of the frame is much simpler.
The front is set with a panel of tapestry in polychrome within a reserve against a crimson ground. The reserve is woven with a trompe l'oeil frame looking like carved giltwood surrounding a scene of a dog looking at its relection in water. The tapestry is outlined with gimp woven in red, blue and white.
The frame is constructed with the side pieces running full height, the top and bottom rails tenoned into them. The four feet are tenoned into either side of the base of the stiles. The joints are disguised by carving and are not immediately visible.
The back of the frame is lined with crimson silk damask. It is not possible to see any significatnt amount of the pattern but it is a large repeat, of a leafy, formal plant pattern of the kind popular in the mid-18th century. The visible width of the silk is 54 cm in the centre, suggesting that it is in fact an 18th-century silk. The pattern is not matched at the seams and these appear to be hand-stitched, suggesting that it was re-used before about 1850.

Part of the Arthur James Collection, bequeathed by his wife

Mrs Arthur James bequeathed 52 pieces to the V&A including French and English 18th century furniture, mirrors, ceramics and silverware which were received by the museum in July 1948. The bequest was conditional on the collection being called ‘The Arthur James Collection, bequeathed by his wife.
Acquisition RP (Nominal File, James, Mrs Arthur, MA/1/J150) records negotations over the bequest, which include 9 pieces of furniture, W.36 to W.43A-1948. Mrs James lived at Coton House, Rugby and 3 Grafton Street, London. At the time of aquisition this screen was thought to be French and it was noted 'Vigorous Carving and handsome'.

On loan to Cliffe Castle Museum.

W.41-1948