The Algardi Firedogs (French - ''chenets de l'Algarde'') are two small bronze sculptural groups, individually entitled ''Jupiter holding his thunderbolt, seated on a terrestrial globe supported by three Titans'' and ''Juno carried by the winds''.

Originals

The originals were commissioned as the fronts of

andiron An andiron or firedog, fire-dog or fire dog is a bracket support, normally found in pairs, on which logs are laid for burning in an open fireplace, so that air may circulate under the firewood, allowing better burning and less smoke. They gene ...

s or firedogs from the Roman sculptor

Alessandro Algardi Alessandro Algardi (July 31, 1598 – June 10, 1654) was an Italian high-Baroque sculptor active almost exclusively in Rome, where for the latter decades of his life, he was, along with Francesco Borromini and Pietro da Cortona, one of the major ...

for Philip IV of Spain by Diego Velázquez in 1650 whilst he was Spanish ambassador to the Italian states, and he ordered four bronzes symbolizing the four elements of the court of Spain. Though they were incomplete on his death and had to be completed by his pupils. He had only completed the first two in a planned set of four before his death and so the other two (''Neptune carried by the waters'' and ''Cybele carried by the earth'') were produced by his children. Philip did not use them as firedogs but as decorative elements for the garden of his Aranjuez Palace.

France

Other 17th century foundries produced copies for other royal courts, especially the ''Juno'' and ''Jupiter''. For example, a set of these two was delivered to the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; french: Château de Versailles ) is a former royal residence built by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, France. The palace is owned by the French Republic and since 19 ...

in 1684. Louis XIV placed them in niches in the oval salon, but Louis XV passed them to the

marquis de Marigny A marquess (; french: marquis ), es, marqués, pt, marquês. is a nobleman of high hereditary rank in various European peerages and in those of some of their former colonies. The German language equivalent is Markgraf (margrave). A woman wi ...

, director of the Bâtiments du roi, who displayed them in the château de Ménars. After the marquis' death, they were moved to the Louvre in 1795, before being converted to support a pendulum clock at

Napoleon Napoleon Bonaparte ; it, Napoleone Bonaparte, ; co, Napulione Buonaparte. (born Napoleone Buonaparte; 15 August 1769 – 5 May 1821), later known by his regnal name Napoleon I, was a French military commander and political leader who ...

's palace of château de Saint-Cloud. The two groups were then moved to the palais des Tuileries, where in 1845 they were part-

gilded Gilding is a decorative technique for applying a very thin coating of gold over solid surfaces such as metal (most common), wood, porcelain, or stone. A gilded object is also described as "gilt". Where metal is gilded, the metal below was tradi ...

Charles Christofle Charles is a masculine given name predominantly found in English and French speaking countries. It is from the French form ''Charles'' of the Proto-Germanic name (in runic alphabet) or ''*karilaz'' (in Latin alphabet), whose meaning was " ...

. The ''Juno'' is now lost, but the ''Jupiter'' is now on display in the Louvre. Two similar ''Juno'' and ''Jupiter'' groups were also owned by the Grand Dauphin, initially displaying them in the

château de Choisy The Château de Choisy was a royal French residence in the commune of Choisy-le-Roi in the Val-de-Marne department, not far from Paris. The commune was given its present name by Louis XV, when he purchased the manor of Choisy and its château in Oc ...

then from 1695 in the château de Meudon.

Selected examples

* Wallace Collection, London - pair, one of the Grand Dauphin's sets * Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York - one, plus a pair of later copies, probably 18th-century.Met Museum
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Springfield Museum of Art Springfield may refer to: * Springfield (toponym), the place name in general Places and locations Australia * Springfield, New South Wales (Central Coast) * Springfield, New South Wales (Snowy Monaro Regional Council) * Springfield, Queenslan ...

, Massachusetts - one work * Pavlovsk Palace, St Petersburg - one work

References

{{Authority control category:17th-century sculptures category:Bronze sculptures category:Baroque sculptures category:Sculptures of Jupiter (mythology) category:Sculptures of Hera category:Italian sculptures of the Louvre category:Collection of the Wallace Collection category:Metalwork of the Metropolitan Museum of Art