Design for a Candlestick
Classification
metalwork
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1911-28-353
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
**Design for a Candlestick** by Joseph Anton Seethaler II (German, 1799–1868) dates to the 1820s–1830s, a period when German craftsmanship blended neoclassical elegance with emerging industrial precision. As a design drawing for metalwork, this piece captures the meticulous planning behind functional yet ornate household objects, reflecting the era's emphasis on refined domestic luxury amid Europe's post-Napoleonic recovery. Seethaler's work exemplifies the technical expertise of German metalworkers, who were renowned for intricate silver and brass pieces that adorned bourgeois homes. Though ...