Candlestick
1852 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
Object Type
Although new types of lighting such as gas lighting or paraffin lamps were becoming available in the 19th century, candles remained the most common form of artificial light in the home. Improvements in candles such as the invention by Cambacère of the plaited wick which avoided the need for snuffing, and the invention of stearine, coconut oil and paraffin wax candles made cheap, bright candles available even to the poorest. Candlesticks were therefore found in every home, from the cheap wood or brass candlesticks of the poor to the beautiful precious metals of the rich.
Design & Designing
This candlestick was included in the display of 'Examples of False Principles of Decoration' held at Marlborough House, Pall Mall in 1853 and described as follows:
'No.87 Candlestick in the style of Louis XV
Observations - An example of the extreme faults of this style; symmetrical arrangement being rejected as a principle, and structured form disregarded, the whole appears the result of chance rather than design. The base is formless, confused and too heavy for the stem, which is in turn structurally broken in two places; the socket has no determinate form, and does not correspond to the cup inserted into it; all that is obtained by this sacrifice of structural and ornamental principles, is the mere glitter of metal.'
Historical Context
Henry Cole and other design reformers of the 19th century believed that museums could be 'antidotes to brutality and vice' and could serve to improve people's tastes and morals. The desire to improve the taste of the public was a strong one in this period as a response to the social problems linked with industrialisation and the perceived decline in British standards of manufacturing and design.
Although new types of lighting such as gas lighting or paraffin lamps were becoming available in the 19th century, candles remained the most common form of artificial light in the home. Improvements in candles such as the invention by Cambacère of the plaited wick which avoided the need for snuffing, and the invention of stearine, coconut oil and paraffin wax candles made cheap, bright candles available even to the poorest. Candlesticks were therefore found in every home, from the cheap wood or brass candlesticks of the poor to the beautiful precious metals of the rich.
Design & Designing
This candlestick was included in the display of 'Examples of False Principles of Decoration' held at Marlborough House, Pall Mall in 1853 and described as follows:
'No.87 Candlestick in the style of Louis XV
Observations - An example of the extreme faults of this style; symmetrical arrangement being rejected as a principle, and structured form disregarded, the whole appears the result of chance rather than design. The base is formless, confused and too heavy for the stem, which is in turn structurally broken in two places; the socket has no determinate form, and does not correspond to the cup inserted into it; all that is obtained by this sacrifice of structural and ornamental principles, is the mere glitter of metal.'
Historical Context
Henry Cole and other design reformers of the 19th century believed that museums could be 'antidotes to brutality and vice' and could serve to improve people's tastes and morals. The desire to improve the taste of the public was a strong one in this period as a response to the social problems linked with industrialisation and the perceived decline in British standards of manufacturing and design.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Materials and techniques | Electroplated nickel silver |
| Brief description | Electroplated nickel silver candlestick, England; 1852. |
| Physical description | Candlestick in an asymmetric, Rococo revival style. The base has naturalistic, writhing acanthus leaf decoration, c scrolls, shelly and cartouche forms and the column is formed of two opposing c scrolls. The top holder or socket is decorated with c scrolls and cartouche. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Marks and inscriptions | No marks |
| Gallery label | British Galleries:
This candlestick was made in the French Style which was very popular and commercially successful in the mid-19th century. Despite this, the candlestick was displayed at Marlborough House as 'An example of the extreme faults of this style; symmetrical arrangement being rejected as a principle, and structured form disregarded, the whole appears the result of chance rather than design.'(27/03/2003) |
| Summary | Object Type Although new types of lighting such as gas lighting or paraffin lamps were becoming available in the 19th century, candles remained the most common form of artificial light in the home. Improvements in candles such as the invention by Cambacère of the plaited wick which avoided the need for snuffing, and the invention of stearine, coconut oil and paraffin wax candles made cheap, bright candles available even to the poorest. Candlesticks were therefore found in every home, from the cheap wood or brass candlesticks of the poor to the beautiful precious metals of the rich. Design & Designing This candlestick was included in the display of 'Examples of False Principles of Decoration' held at Marlborough House, Pall Mall in 1853 and described as follows: 'No.87 Candlestick in the style of Louis XV Observations - An example of the extreme faults of this style; symmetrical arrangement being rejected as a principle, and structured form disregarded, the whole appears the result of chance rather than design. The base is formless, confused and too heavy for the stem, which is in turn structurally broken in two places; the socket has no determinate form, and does not correspond to the cup inserted into it; all that is obtained by this sacrifice of structural and ornamental principles, is the mere glitter of metal.' Historical Context Henry Cole and other design reformers of the 19th century believed that museums could be 'antidotes to brutality and vice' and could serve to improve people's tastes and morals. The desire to improve the taste of the public was a strong one in this period as a response to the social problems linked with industrialisation and the perceived decline in British standards of manufacturing and design. |
| Other number | MET.LOST.300 - Previous lost number |
| Collection | |
| Accession number | M.58-2000 |
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| Record created | February 2, 2001 |
| Record URL |
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