Chandelier
Unknown Artist
ca. 1690
Medium
Wood, gilt gesso, yellow metal gilt lead
Dimensions
Overall: 50 × 44 in. (127 × 111.8 cm)
Classification
Woodwork-Furniture
Culture
British
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Irwin Untermyer, 1964
Accession Number
64.101.1031
Art Historical Context
This elegant chandelier, crafted around 1690 by an unknown British artisan, exemplifies the opulence of late Stuart England during the William and Mary period. Standing at an impressive 50 × 44 inches, it would have illuminated the grand halls of a wealthy country estate or townhouse, serving as both a functional light source and a dazzling symbol of status. Chandeliers like this marked a shift from simpler iron designs to more elaborate wooden frameworks, reflecting the era's growing taste for lavish interior decoration amid post-Restoration prosperity. The piece showcases masterful techniqu...