Designs for Church Lights: Wall Bracket, Nave Standard, Chancel Standard
ca. 1880
Medium
Pen and ink, brush and wash and watercolor
Dimensions
irreg. sheet: 9 1/4 x 9 3/16 in. (23.5 x 23.4 cm)
Classification
Drawings|Ornament & Architecture
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1960
Accession Number
60.632.117
Art Historical Context
In the late 19th century, churches embraced ornate Gothic Revival aesthetics, firms like Richardson Ellson &. specialized in crafting functional yet decorative ecclesiastical metalwork. This sheet of designs, dated around 1880, presents precise renderings for three church lighting: a wall bracket for versatile illumination, a nave standard to light the main congregational area, and aancel standard for the sacred altar space. Produced by the British firm known for high-quality bronze and brass fittings, these drawings capture the era's blend of practicality and piety, ensuring light enhanced wo...