Oval Office fireplace | Incorrect placement of decorative ornaments | Ornament for the fireplace in the White House in Washington.

 

Ornament for / in a fireplace 
at the White House in Washington.

Oval Office fireplace

It struck me – it must have been sometime in March 2025 – that whenever US President Donald Trump sat in front of a fireplace at the White House (Washington), either alone or with world leaders, gilded ornaments were prominently visible in the background (in or in front of a fireplace).

As I follow world news and related visual material (particularly in connection with ornamentation) to some extent, I couldn’t really recall ever having seen this sort of published visual material in the past.

These are two gilded appliqué ornaments, probably made of plaster, plastic or resin, fitted beneath or, rather, within (?) the fireplace. Why am I mentioning this (?) – why this particular spot?

I have never before seen this in a fireplace – and I have had the pleasure of admiring many, … truly many fireplaces from all stylistic periods over the years in historic buildings – but I have never seen this method of decoration in this specific location or in this manner.

A new US President? Apparently that means ‘he’ is also allowed to redecorate the interior of his residence in Washington. But I do have my doubts as to whether it’s all been done properly; in any case, it’s in poor taste.

But I wouldn’t have expected anything else from this US President; the décor of his private floors in his ‘Trump Tower’ in New York has probably served as a reference – in a word, bling-bling and plenty of kitsch.

Tasteless

If you examine these gilded appliqué ornaments in detail and compare them with one another to spot any differences, you can be certain that they are not unique pieces, but that they have been cast, most likely in plaster, plastic or resin.

Judging by the carving technique, execution and finish, they were made in Asia; these ornaments look European (Régence style period) but the details betray that the maker was not familiar with European style periods – there are too many errors in the composition or in certain elements of the design that an ornamental carver with a European (French) training would never (be allowed to) make.

 

The correct method

If this ornament were to be used correctly, it could only be positioned horizontally, above a door; this is known as a ‘supraporte ornament’. However, in contrast to its current application (as shown in the photograph of the White House), the wider part of the composition should be on the outer side and both parts should be joined together by a moulding.

This arrangement as a supraporte is rare; usually you see a central motif above a door, but it is not unheard of.

However, this ornament could also be used horizontally on low panelling (wall panelling) measuring 60–70 cm in height.

 

=>In fact, this decorative motif is intended for vertical use, as is frequently the case in panelling; here too, the lower and upper motifs must be connected by a moulding – they must not appear to be floating.

Below is a photo showing what this fireplace looked like before Trump became President. Biden is pictured in the photo.

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