Ornamental Candelabrum
Classification
ornament
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Purchased for the Museum by the Advisory Council
Accession Number
1921-6-25
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Daniel Hopner (1470–1536), a pioneering German artist from Augsburg, created this *Ornamental Candelabrum* around 1520, during the vibrant Northern Renaissance. Known primarily as the first master of etching—a revolutionary intaglio printmaking technique he adapted from armor decoration—Hopner produced intricate ornamental designs that bridged fine art and applied crafts. This piece, classified as an ornament, exemplifies his flair for elaborate motifs inspired by classical antiquity and Gothic traditions, likely intended as a pattern for metalwork, candelabra, or architectural embellishments....