Images(2)

Pair of Andirons

Dateca.1800-1875

OriginAmerica

MediumCast iron

DimensionsOverall: 12 1/4 x 6 3/4 x 14 3/4in. (31.1 x 17.1 x 37.5cm)

Credit LineMuseum Purchase

Object number1979.808.11,A&B

DescriptionAnthropomorphic andirons with cast billet bars made with rear-facing points. Uprights cast in the form of an armless female, wearing only a skirt with floriated scrolls at each hip and an "eye" shaped waistband.Label TextWhile wrought andirons were made by hammer at the anvil of a skilled blacksmith, a blast furnace was needed to produce a cast set. Much bulkier that wrought types, cast sets of andirons have been produced in a variety of shapes since the middle ages. Many were architectural and others were anthropomorphic, meaning various elements took a human form. After the Revolutionary War and for many decades, the "Hessian" or "Grenadier" was an extremely popular subject, as was George Washington. Others were less specific like this pair, which takes the form of an armless woman, clad only in a skirt and a grin.