Fireplace screen

Fireplaces, which were used to heat rooms, were accompanied by fireplace accessories with two functions – utilitarian and decorative. They included: fire dogs, tongs, shovel, poker, hook, broom, bellows to hold the fire (usually made of wood and covered with leather), a stand for utensils, small fireplace shield, sheet to be put on the floor in front of the fireplace. These products were subject to fashions and their appearance changed depending on the dominant art style of the given period. Most of the fireplace accessories owned by the Castle Museum in Łańcut come from the period between the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century. They are made of brass, gilded bronze, steel and were manufactured mainly in England, France and Poland. A five-winged folding screen made of brass (chiselled casting) and copper wire, a French or English product from around 1780, it belongs to the collection of the Potocki family. Each of the wings in the shape of a rectangle closed at the top with a fancy arch and at the bottom with a semi-plastic antique scene on rectangular metal sheet depicting cupids playing musical instruments. Each of the rectangles is filled with a fine, wavy lath made of copper and brass wire. Each wing is profiled and decorated along the edge with a pearl ornament, which also includes the lower parts with cupids. The wings are connected by rods terminated by little pinnacle in the shape of an acorn. The outer wings have attached handles for carrying the screen in the shape of door knockers, the reverse of the screen is smooth.