Design for a Candelabrum
Classification
Drawing
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1911-28-356
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Joseph Anton Seethaler II’s “Design for a Candelabrum,” created between 1825 and 1835, offers a glimpse into the refined decorative tastes of early nineteenth-century Germany. As a drawing held in the Smithsonian American Art Museum, the work captures the artist’s careful planning for an ornate lighting fixture, likely intended for a domestic or ceremonial setting. Seethaler, who lived from 1799 to 1868, worked during a period when German artisans blended neoclassical elegance with emerging romantic sensibilities, producing objects that balanced functionality and artistic expression. Though t...