A large masculine and flamboyant example of a 19th century Scottish Aesthetic movement cast iron fireplace insert. A large outer plate with recessed fielded panels hosts an off set protruding polished front, with 13 cast daisies and repeating diamonds, resting on moulded bulbous foot blocks, an arched centre apron, below a three barred set of angled fire bars surmounted with a pair of polished finials, with ‘shooting star’ embellishments above, further triple shooting stars set into a Gothic arch above the back plate, a later shaped ash pan front with polished backplate and handle.
 
Edinburgh, Scotland circa 1880
 
Rebelling against Victorian materiality and modern industrialism (particularly what they criticized as the impoverished and repetitive designs of consumer products created cheaply by "soulless" machines), Aesthetic artists placed a premium on quality craftsmanship in the creation of all art. Some even revived pre-industrial techniques in the process. Aesthetic artists touted the adage "art for art's sake," divorcing art from its traditional obligation to convey a moral or socio-political message. Instead, they focused on exploring color, form, and composition in the pursuit of beauty. The thirteen recessed daisies are significant in the case of this piece-as designers and makers of that period were superstitious people by nature, thirteen was an unlucky number and was never used in architectural design.
 
Width over the polished base blocks: 955mm.
 
Height
39.38 in (100 cm)
Width
43.71 in (111 cm)
Depth
11.82 in (30 cm)