Image of Gallery in South Kensington
Request to view at the Prints & Drawings Study Room, level C , Case MB2D, Shelf DR81, Box SS59

Design

circa 1904 (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

Electric lamps had no precedent styles to inform their look and so offered designers the opportunity to create an original form for this new source of light. Without the danger of a naked flame, electric lamps did not need the same type of shades as candles, oil lamps or gasoliers and so at first they appeared rather naked in contrast.

As can be seen here, the designer was attempting to accommodate the flex and fittings while keeping the whole effect elegant. With the flower-like exposed bulbs and tendril-shaped metal fittings, the designer is drawing on plant forms much in the style of Art Nouveau.


Object details

Category
Object type
Materials and techniques
Pencil and watercolour
Brief description
Designs for electric lamps for the Library, Butts Close, by Nelson Ethelred Dawson, c. 1904.
Physical description
Design for a lamp
Style
Subject depicted
Summary
Electric lamps had no precedent styles to inform their look and so offered designers the opportunity to create an original form for this new source of light. Without the danger of a naked flame, electric lamps did not need the same type of shades as candles, oil lamps or gasoliers and so at first they appeared rather naked in contrast.

As can be seen here, the designer was attempting to accommodate the flex and fittings while keeping the whole effect elegant. With the flower-like exposed bulbs and tendril-shaped metal fittings, the designer is drawing on plant forms much in the style of Art Nouveau.
Collection
Accession number
E.739-1976

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Record createdJune 30, 2009
Record URL
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