Andiron with the Figure of Vulcan

An andiron (more commonly known as a firedog) is a metal stand used for supporting wood in an open fireplace. It is usually one of a pair. The figure shown here is Vulcan, the god of fire and of metal-working, therefore an obvious choice for the decoration. Its pair (LL 186) shows what is thought to be the figure of Venus, a goddess associated with love, beauty, and desire, who was Vulcan's unfaithful wife in Roman mythology.