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Oregon, United States
loves: you win if you guessed "pets" and "museums". Also books, art history, travel, British punk, Korean kimchi, bindis, martinis, and other things TBD. I will always make it very clear if a post is sponsored in any way. Drop me a line at thepetmuseum AT gmail.com !

Tuesday, June 28, 2016

firecat

courtesy www.rijksmuseum.nl BK-16903-B
This cat half of a pair of gilded bronze firedogs is:
 - probably from 1770
 - probably by Philippe Caffieri the Younger
 - not the half that's a poodle
 - definitely beautiful
Firedogs help support the framework upon which the logs are piled in a fireplace.  What a clever, elegant move to make them in the shape of animals enjoying the heat and light.  That's typical for their time; 1770 would be during the ascendancy of Rococo, a playful, delicate and lyrical style.

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