Chandelier

Location: France

Materials: gilt-copper, champlevé enamel

Dimensions: 24.5 x 47.5 cm

Accession Number: FR 629

Other Notes:

On a chandelier, the form of which is essentially derived from Gothic ironwork, appear the Kufic inscriptions ‘Well Being’ on the exterior, and ‘Blessing and Glory’ on the interior. This incongruous combination is indicative of the creative but historically inaccurate view of the past adopted by many of the designers and craftsmen of the period. In Paris there were a number of firms that produced a range of gilt-copper and champlevé enamel objects decorated in a variety of eclectic styles. The most prominent were Christofle, Barbedienne and Raingo frères, all of whom participated in the major international exhibitions that helped distribute their work throughout the world.

Bibliography:

Haydn Williams, Enamels of the World: 1700-2000 The Khalili Collections, London 2009, cat. 60, pp. 106–7.