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As L. A. Shuffrey notes in his book The English Fireplace “many circumstances had combined to produce the diversity of designs belonging to first half of the eighteen century.” Amongst these influences was the continued interest and study of Classic and Renaissance architecture in Italy. This white marble chimneypiece was done in the manner of the English sculptor John Flaxman (1755-1826) and is remarkable for both its craftsmanship and its Neoclassical style.
The Neoclassical style was at the forefront of art and architecture, drawing on the foundational principles of ancient Greek art and architecture and reinterpreting them in the contexts of the nineteenth century. Neoclassicism was embraced during England’s Regency period during the reign of King George IV, an avid patron of the arts. England’s particular relationship with Neoclassicism was in part influenced by the Napoleonic War at the start of the nineteenth century which drew England closer to Egypt and Greece, proximity which enabled greater exposure to classical art and architecture.
Regarded as the most famous English Neoclassical sculptors of the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, Flaxman helped define the ways in which classical antiquity was reinterpreted. Between 1787 and 1794, Flaxman trained in Rome where he received a commission from the Earl of Bristol and the Bishop of Derry, Frederick Hervey. This career-launching commission was at the recommendation of Flaxman’s friend and fellow Neoclassical sculptor Antonio Canova (1757-1822) who was also working in Rome at the time.
Famous works by Flaxman include his white marble sculpture The Fury of Athamas; his illustrations for Dante’s Divine Comedy; his 1778 Apotheosis of Homer ceramic relief sculpture; and his memorial to the Irish poet Mary Tighe in Inistioge, County Kilkenny. From 1805, Flaxman designed gold and silverware for the company Rundell, Bridge & Rundell who supplied fine silverware to the English monarchs, one of whom, King George IV, was an admirer of Flaxman’s work. In 1810, Flaxman was appointed the first professor of sculpture by the Royal Academy, a remarkably prestigious position and a career highlight.
A similar chimneypiece, attributed to John Flaxman, was sold at Christies in London (Collections: Property from the Viscount Wimborne and the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, April 9 2025, lot no.375) with the comparable bacchanalian frieze and heavily carved sculptural relief figures of Mercury and Apollo.
This beautiful chimneypiece in the manner of John Flaxman will be featured in the Country House Collections sale at Townley Hall.
By Grace Hull
Country House Collections at Townley Hall
Auction Date: Tuesday 13th October - 11:00
Viewing Times: Saturday 10th October 11am - 5pm
Sunday 11th October 11am - 5pm
Monday 12th October 10am - 5pm
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John ffrench was an instrumental figure in the design industry in Ireland and a distinguished pioneer of Irish studio pottery.
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"I should declare my hand. I have a weakness for pictures that punch above their physical weight, and for artists who have been quietly underrated for too long. This pair is both. They are intimate enough to live with at close quarters and serious enough to repay any amount of looking. If the market has lately shown signs of catching up with eighteenth-century Irish painting and I think it has, these two small panels feel, to me, like exactly the sort of thing that will look obvious in twenty years’ time."
Adam’s is honoured to present works from the collection of Lord Rossmore in the upcoming Country House Collections auction at Howth Castle on 28th April. It is seldom that an influential Irish family collection that has survived through the generations comes to the open market.
Works Sold at Adam’s Now in the Irish National Collection
A great opportunity to purchase both established and lesser-known artist’s work at an accessible price point, the Online Picture Auction is the first of many sales to be hosted at Adam’s in 2026. It is perfect for those looking to start a collection and the discerning collector alike.
Through this article, let our expert Adam Pearson guiding you to the (re)discovery of the once established Irish painter Richard O’Neill.
Buying at Auction and the Role of Antiques in a Modern Home
Important Irish Art Auction Highlights
Oliver Dowling Collection by Aidan Dunne
2024 is a year in which Adam’s wants to recognise the key role buying antique furniture and furnishings at auction contributes greatly to the sustainable initiative. In 2019 the Environmental Protection Agency reported stark figures that each year in Ireland 1.2 million reusable bulky items, primarily furniture goes into landfill. Similar to the problem of ‘fast fashion’, the constant production and consumption of new items is leading to rapidly growing waste problem. We want to acknowledge those who are already buying second hand or antique furniture at auction and to encourage new buyers by highlighting the benefits of acquiring affordable, well-made quality items that are built to last.
James Adam & Sons Ltd, Fine Art Auctioneers and Valuers, 26 St. Stephen’s Green, Dublin 2,
D02 X665, Ireland
