Photo © Israel Museum, Jerusalem, by David Harris |
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Chandelier ca. 1720 Carved giltwood and gesso H: 104 cm; Diam: 122 cm Gift of David Berg, New York, to American Friends of the Israel Museum, In memory of his mother Ida Berg Accession number: B81.0972 |
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A George I carved giltwood and gesso chandalier of 10 lights.
This chandelier is notable not only for the elegance of the overall design, but also for the crisp cutting of the gesso decoration of the stem with its shells and scrolling leaves on a punched ground. The surface retains the original richly burnished gold, which must have created a magnificent effect when highlighted by flickering candles in a darkened room. The ring at the base of the chandelier was used to pull it down from the ceiling by means of counterweights to facilitate lighting the candles. Although this piece is not documented, there being a tradition that it formerly hung at Kensington Palace, it is close in the design of the gesso carving to the work of James Moore, who died in 1726. Publications: The Eighteenth Century English Dining Room, Israel Museum, Jerusalem Digital presentation of this object was made possible by: The Ridgefield Foundation, New York, in memory of Henry J. and Erna D. Leir |
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