A monumental antique Georgian, highly carved Statuary Carrara marble chimneypiece with Portoro marble columns 

The fireplace jambs feature engaged three-quarter Portoro Nero marble columns with carved egg and dart Doric capitals. Above these are tall classical urns with a break fronted egg and dart cornice shelf on top. The aperture is framed by a wide moulding carved with the same egg and dart motif that features on the shelf and capitals. 

The large and exceptionally well-carved late 18th century frieze is based on a 15th century painting by Italian artist Baldassarre Peruzzi and is titled ‘Apollo dancing with the nine Muses’.

The muses are Calliope, Clio, Erato, Melpomene, Terpsichore, Polyhymnia, Euterpe, Thalia, and Urania, they are goddesses who inspire literature, arts and sciences. Apollo was the god of light, truth, prophecy, music, poetry, the arts, and more.

The frieze in this fireplace is a masterpiece of marble carving, it is one of finest I have seen, undoubtedly carved in Italy at the end of the 18th century, purchased on the grand tour and brought to England where it was designed into a Georgian fireplace. The sculptor has managed to portray the muses dancing round in a three dimensional format, with incredible realism.