DescriptionFireplace and over mantel.jpg	English: This Jacobean fireplace is situated in the State Drawing Room of Boston Manor House, Boston Manor Road, Brentford, TW8 9JX. United Kingdom. Tel: +44 020 8583 4463. Building currently own by the London Borough of Hounslow.
Date	11 October 2009
Source	Own work
Author	P.g.champion
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Camera location	51° 29′ 30.62″ N, 0° 19′ 05.77″ W	View this and other nearby images on: OpenStreetMap	51.491839; -0.318269

More information: This is a high resolution image (15.22 MB) thats been uploaded so you can magnify it further to see more detail by clicking on the image and clicking on it again. The central scene in the over-mantel oval, takes its inspiration from a very popular 16c print by the Flemish artist and publisher Abraham de Bruyn. He had personally traveled to the Holy Lands and visited Mount Moriah; which is depicted here on the over-mantel and features the biblical characters of Abraham and Isaac. He made engravings of designs like this for other artisans to copy and adapt to suit their own medium, be it in wood paneling, wall paintings, silverware, tapestries etc., ‒ here it is painted and gilded plaster.

The inscription below the oval is a contraction of a biblical quote “In the mount of the Lord it shall be seen” from Genesis 22:14 (KJV). This, may have been to suggest: God will always provide as and when the need arises. The design of the ornamental motifs around it, are also based on the original print. It shows seven faces looking outwards, a naked man and woman holding branches out to each other, hounds and snails, bizarre hybrid animals which are part horses that have wings, yet with the bodies and tails of scaly sea creatures. The over-mantel was installed at the same time as the house was built in 1623 but as prints from the engraving was first published in 1584 it could hardly have been seen as avant-garde in its own time. Rather, this rendition was probably just considered to be right and fitting for such a house owned by someone of high status; as Lady Mary Reade (the original owner) was. Below the carved mantel piece, is the carved face of a woman with a copia of fruit and vegetables in the garlands hanging from her headdress. This may represent the Roman Goddess Fortuna, for she had a retinue that included both good fortune and plenty. Below that, is the space for the fire itself. The immediate surrounds are polished white marble panels with light bluey grey veins. The front hearthstone is a polished conglomerate which may have been chosen as this is less likely to show up fallen cinders and ash. For the fireplace furniture see:File:Fireplace boston manor 3207.jpg. The whole fireplace and over-mantle is framed by two double tapered pilasters. These go up from floor to a ceiling lintel or entablature, which is supported by atlas and caryatid figures -one per side. Finally, three female faced corbels support the ceiling. However, this 'support' is probably best acknowledged to be in the decorative sense only.