An artwork on Galleree from Cleveland Museum of Art.
About the artwork
Fire Screenc. 1878–80
Herter Brothers
Christian Herter (1840-83). Born in Stuttgart. He studied at the École des Beaux Arts in Paris before joining his elder half-brother Gustave (1830-98) in New York in 1860. Gustave had been there since 1848 and had worked for Tiffany before founding his own furniture and decorations firm in 1857. In 1864 Christian returned to Paris to study under Pierre-Victor Gallard (1822-92) and in the early 1870s he was in England. Herter Brothers became a leading New York furniture and decorating business in the 1870s and 1880s, being one of the first to abandon the usual run of historical styles and produce pieces rather similar to those made contemporaneously in England, with a discreet use of oriental motifs. Marquetry furniture like that made for the railroad magnate Jay Gould in 1877-82 or the luxurious gilt and inlaid furniture made for the William H. Vanderbuilt House, NY, c. 1882 is typical of the more extravagant type of aesthetic movement in the US. He employed a large staff of craftsmen and designers, the latter including the architect Charles B. Atwood (1849-95). The firm survived until 1906.
During the 1870s the New York firm of Herter Brothers produced some of the most sophisticated and technically refined furniture made anywhere in the world at that date. Although the firm is known to have made a considerable quantity of gilded furniture, this fire screen is one of only a few examples to survive in good condition. The painted and gilded embossed panel of birds and flowers was likely made in Japan.
Produced by the New York decorating firm Herter Brothers, this screen would have been used to shield sitters from the heat of a fireplace.
gilded wood, painted and gilded wood panels, brocaded silk, embossed paper
Overall: 131.8 x 76.2 x 58.3 cm (51 7/8 x 30 x 22 15/16 in.)
The Severance and Greta Millikin Purchase Fund
In the heart of the 1870s, amidst the bustling streets of New York, a charming workshop blossomed—Herter Brothers. This firm, almost like a sanctuary of creativity, crafted some of the most exquisite furniture the world had ever seen. Each piece told a story, whispering secrets of refined elegance and meticulous craftsmanship, perfectly aligned with the era’s spirit.
Amidst their collection, a unique artifact stood quietly, a fire screen that might have easily slipped into the shadows of history. While many of Herter Brothers’ creations gleamed with gilded opulence, this particular screen was one of the rare survivors, cradling a sense of history in its graceful structure.
Its surface featured a painted and gilded embossed panel adorned with delicate depictions of birds and flowers. There was something enchanting about it, as though it invited the beholder to step closer and breathe in the air of far-flung lands. Whispers floated from Japan, where the artistry had likely originated, infusing the screen with an exotic charm that transcended time and space.
As light danced across the gilded surfaces, the screen became more than mere furniture; it transformed into a window to a different world, encapsulating tranquil moments and artistry in a single glance. In the gentle flicker of a flame, one could almost hear the stories of distant lands and the skilled hands that brought this piece to life.
In this way, the fire screen quietly awaited the next chapter of its existence, a steadfast guardian of both warmth and beauty, ever ready to comfort in the cozy corners of a home filled with stories to share.
About the artist
Creating transformative experiences through art “for the benefit of all the people forever.”The Cleveland Museum of Art is renowned for the quality and breadth of its collection, which includes more than 66,500 artworks and spans 6,000 years of achievement in the arts. The artworks shared on this platform are sourced from the museum's Open Access data under the CC0 license. No endorsement is implied.Address: 11150 East Boulevard, Cleveland, OH, USA 44106
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