A mantel is the frame of a fireplace that serves to catch the smoke emitted from the fire. The mantel appeared in the 12th century when the fireplace became the primary residential heating. Works of notable mantel designers ranged from simple to highly ornamental decorations. The mantels of today act as sculptural artwork than a heating apparatus.
What is a Mantel?
The mantel (mantelpiece, chimneypiece) frames the opening of a fireplace and acts as a hood to catch the smoke from the fire. The term mantel is used today to refer to the ornamental frames of a fireplace. Designs of a decorative mantel extend all the way up to the ceiling.
History of the Mantel?
Mantels came about after the 12th century when fireplaces started replacing hearths, hypocausts, and braziers. The mantel of a fireplace featured intricate and rich designs to serve as a grand accentuation in a room. Succeeding designs of the mantel included archivolts which are ornamental moldings in the shape of an arch.
As the size of the fireplace grew more extensive in the 14th century, the mantel became more of an architectural component. The biggest mantel on record is in the Palais des Comtes at Poiters. This mantel measures 30 feet wide with two intermediate supports for its hood.
The 18th-century mantels were heavily inspired by French styles featuring detailed decorations often of carved wood.
Famous Mantel Designers?
G.B Piranesi, an Italian architect, and artist, is the most famous designer of mantels. Piranesi released a series in 1765 that greatly influenced the Empire Style of France.
The architect Inigo Jones brought the Italian style to England. This style featured simple mantels with architraves and a shelf.
The mantel design of the Adam brothers in the 18th century included elaborate wood embellishments and mold casts.
How are Mantels Used Today?
Today, mantels are used more as architectural designs in a room’s interior as modern heating systems replaced the fireplace. A mantel gives the architect or designer the opportunity to showcase their artistic skills. A mantel brings together the theme of an interior decor whether it be Classical, French, Italian, Victorian, or Gothic. Unique sculptures and carvings in the form of moldings, brackets, capitals, and figurines bring magnificence to a stunning mantelpiece.
