A Part of History
Warmth & Beauty: The Stone Fireplace in History and Art
At some point in human evolution, the hunters and gatherers that had first discovered fire became the civilized society that captured that fire in their dwellings. No doubt, these earliest fireplaces would've been crafted in stone. From the humble beginnings of stacked rock, artisans began to carve, shape and master stone work and masonry. It is in that tradition that we continue to create our stone mantles today.
Terry Corbett, our lead sculptor, has always admired one piece in particular. The Temptation of Saint Thomas Aquinas by Diego Velázquez is a little known painting that is part of a permanent collection in Alicante, Spain. But to Terry, the scene it depicts is secondary to a specific visual element in the piece: the exquisitely-carved stone mantelpiece.
The classic details of these functional sculptures find their way into the designs that Terry creates today. A direct line to our past, and still in vogue. Timeless.
