An Irish Late 18th / Early 19th Century Statuary and Sienna Marble Chimneypiece

An Irish Neoclassical chimneypiece from the late 18th century, featuring a central tablet depicting Mars, the God of War, flanked by roundels possibly representing Medusa, although seen here without her signature hair of snakes. Pilaster jambs are carved with the Thyrsus (a staff topped with a pinecone) of Bacchus, the god of wine, and the frieze is veneered in Convent Siena marble. Mars symbolises strength and martial virtue, Medusa protection and transformation, and Bacchus revelry and fertility. This rich iconography reflects the Neoclassical interest in mythical tales and moral symbolism.