This type of fireplace was the speciality of the talented Birmingham born cabinet maker George Brookshaw (1751- 1823) They were constructed of pine and composition with the panels painted on brass. He supplied chimneypieces to Badminton House and Carlton House for the Price of Wales, later George IV. Brookshaw also specialised in painted furniture. Later in his career he produced books of high quality botanical illustrations, entitled ' Pomona Britannica and 'A New Treatise on Flower Painting'.

This is a copy we made of the fireplace in the front room first floor of Home House, the famous Adam building in Portman Square, London W1. The central panel depicts 'Una and the Lion' from Spenser's 'The Faerie Queene' and is likely to have been painted by the 18th century artist Angelica Kauffman (1741 - 1807), who was known to have worked with both Adam and Brookshaw. The panel is a conversation piece, popular in the period, where the possible relationships and symbolism of a lion, a maiden and an ass could give scope to the imagination and humour.

MORE IMAGES