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Lot Essay
This neo-Palladian chimneypiece in contrasting black and white statuary marbles features Ionic-hermed pilasters in the Roman style of Inigo Jones (d. 1652). It was possibly executed in the celebrated Piccadilly workshops of the sculptor, Thomas Carter the Elder (d. 1756), who was renowned primarily as a maker of chimneypieces and is known to have used Inigo Jones' and William Kent's designs for chimneypieces as illustrated in the pattern-book issued by John Vardy entitled, Some Designs of Mr. Inigo Jones and Mr. William Kent, published in 1744, plates 6 and 7, for a further related design by Inigo Jones, showing the chimneypiece in the Cross Gallery at Somerset House, see Lord Burlington, eds. T.Barnard & J. Clark, Architecture, Art and Life, London, 1995, fig. 16e (illustrated).
A later chimneypiece with similar ionic volutes and tapering pilasters was sold Christie's London, 17 November 1994, lot 41. Another related chimneypiece was acquired by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (d. 1753) for Chiswick House, London; most of the chimneypieces at Chiswick are copied from Inigo Jones' designs ('Chiswick House', Country Life, 9 February 1918, p. 133, fig. 5). Thomas Carter's craftsmanship is recorded in the archives of prominent country seats such as Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire, Moulsham Hall, Essex, Blair Castle, Perthshire and Holkham Hall, Norfolk where, in circa 1740, he supplied a significant number of chimneypieces to the Saloon, Great Dining Room and at least two of the state bedrooms. A comparable chimneypiece formed of strongly contrasting marbles is in the west wing of Holkham, Christopher Hussey, English Country Houses Early Georgian 1715-1760 , London, 1955, p. 145, fig. 237). Furthermore, between 1747 and 1756, Sir Matthew Featherstonehaugh paid Thomas Carter nearly £1000 for chimneypieces for Uppark, Sussex. Thomas Carter seems to have had a predilection for the use of distinct colouring in his work; in 1745, he supplied two chimneypieces of 'black and yellow marble' and 'black and gold marble' for Mr. James West's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields (Robert Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors, London, 1951, p. 85).
A later chimneypiece with similar ionic volutes and tapering pilasters was sold Christie's London, 17 November 1994, lot 41. Another related chimneypiece was acquired by Richard Boyle, 3rd Earl of Burlington (d. 1753) for Chiswick House, London; most of the chimneypieces at Chiswick are copied from Inigo Jones' designs ('Chiswick House', Country Life, 9 February 1918, p. 133, fig. 5). Thomas Carter's craftsmanship is recorded in the archives of prominent country seats such as Welbeck Abbey, Nottinghamshire, Moulsham Hall, Essex, Blair Castle, Perthshire and Holkham Hall, Norfolk where, in circa 1740, he supplied a significant number of chimneypieces to the Saloon, Great Dining Room and at least two of the state bedrooms. A comparable chimneypiece formed of strongly contrasting marbles is in the west wing of Holkham, Christopher Hussey, English Country Houses Early Georgian 1715-1760 , London, 1955, p. 145, fig. 237). Furthermore, between 1747 and 1756, Sir Matthew Featherstonehaugh paid Thomas Carter nearly £1000 for chimneypieces for Uppark, Sussex. Thomas Carter seems to have had a predilection for the use of distinct colouring in his work; in 1745, he supplied two chimneypieces of 'black and yellow marble' and 'black and gold marble' for Mr. James West's house in Lincoln's Inn Fields (Robert Gunnis, Dictionary of British Sculptors, London, 1951, p. 85).