An Oil Burning Lamp
Medium
lighting
Classification
lighting
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Museum purchase through gift of various donors
Accession Number
1901-39-994
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**An Oil Burning Lamp** by Italian artisan Giovacchino Belli (1756–1822) is a captivating example of 18th- to early 19th-century lighting design, dated between 1775 and 1880. Housed in the Smithsonian American Art Museum's collection through a museum purchase funded by various donors, this functional yet elegant object highlights the artistry of everyday illumination before the advent of gas and electric lights. Belli, active during Italy's Enlightenment era, crafted pieces that blended practicality with refined aesthetics, reflecting the period's emphasis on neoclassical forms and durable mat...