Centerpiece
c. 1880
Medium
Silver and engraved glass
Dimensions
28.3 × 30 × 30 cm (11 3/16 × 11 13/16 × 11 13/16 in.)
Classification
household accessory
Department
Arts of the Americas
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
107303
Rights
Public Domain
About this artwork
This commanding centerpiece, with its glistening winged sphinxes and stylized lotus blossoms on the glass and silver elements, captures the passion for all things Egyptian in both Europe and the United States during the 19th century. Archaeological excavations of Egyptian tombs; the premiere of Verdi’s opera set in Ancient Egypt, Aida; and the popular Egyptian Court at the 1876 Philadelphia Centennial Exhibition in Philadelphia inspired a diverse array of objects, art, and architecture—although ...