English Regency Gilt Brass Lantern
with modern 3 branch light fitting within
90 x 59 x 59 cm
35 ½ x 23 ¼ x 23 ¼ in
35 ½ x 23 ¼ x 23 ¼ in
642a
Further images
Hexagonal gilt brass hall lantern with six glass panels and a hinged door. Decorated with a crown of acanthus leaves and finishing in delicate spirals. Hall Lanterns: Hall lanterns were...
Hexagonal gilt brass hall lantern with six glass panels and a hinged door. Decorated with a crown of acanthus leaves and finishing in delicate spirals.
Hall Lanterns:
Hall lanterns were an important aspect of 18th century interior design and feature prominently in the inventories of the finest furniture makers such as Chippendale and Ince & Mayhew. Their creation took great skill and that skill was reflected in their value. Master craftsmen fashioned lanterns to balance the demand for maximum illumination with delicate design and the strength to adapt to heat and stress whilst safely suspending large panels of glass and open flames. The designs were first carved in wood and then chased in brass; the favoured material for lanterns in even the grandest of homes.
Glazed lanterns began to be seen in English country houses from the early 18th century, with large brass entranceway lanterns becoming fashionable in the 1750’s. Hall lanterns served the practical purpose of protecting candle flames from incoming drafts and shielding the people below them from dripping wax. However, large lanterns such as this one, also acted as status symbols for wealthy Georgians. The entrance hall was seen as one of the most important domestic spaces, as it was the most public, with more people either entering or seeing it than any other part of the home. It was also a space in which class boundaries were drawn; whilst the working classes might catch a glimpse of the hallway from the street, if they ever were fortunate enough to enter a great house, it would be through the backdoor. Only privileged members of society would be welcomed through the front entrance hall. It was therefore very important that the room be appropriately decorated to reflect the position and aspirations of its residents. Control of artificial light signified status and a fine gilt hall lantern such as this one, provided grandeur and bright, reliable illumination, safe from the extinguishing drafts that plagued lesser homes.
The decoration of the hall lantern was also used to denote the sophistication of its owner. Earlier designs such as this one, favoured simple symmetrical gilded aesthetics, whereas later regency hall lanterns were often more elaborately adorned. Acanthus leaves were a popular source of decoration in wealthy homes and carried with them deep symbolism. The use of acanthus in design dates back to the Corinthian columns in Ancient Greece and Rome, where the leaves were uses to signify immortality due to the natural tenacity of the plant. Acanthus became a symbol of cultural hegemony across the Roman Empire. Later, from the Renaissance onwards, acanthus was incorporated into interior design to indicate the rebirth of classical art and culture.
Hall Lanterns:
Hall lanterns were an important aspect of 18th century interior design and feature prominently in the inventories of the finest furniture makers such as Chippendale and Ince & Mayhew. Their creation took great skill and that skill was reflected in their value. Master craftsmen fashioned lanterns to balance the demand for maximum illumination with delicate design and the strength to adapt to heat and stress whilst safely suspending large panels of glass and open flames. The designs were first carved in wood and then chased in brass; the favoured material for lanterns in even the grandest of homes.
Glazed lanterns began to be seen in English country houses from the early 18th century, with large brass entranceway lanterns becoming fashionable in the 1750’s. Hall lanterns served the practical purpose of protecting candle flames from incoming drafts and shielding the people below them from dripping wax. However, large lanterns such as this one, also acted as status symbols for wealthy Georgians. The entrance hall was seen as one of the most important domestic spaces, as it was the most public, with more people either entering or seeing it than any other part of the home. It was also a space in which class boundaries were drawn; whilst the working classes might catch a glimpse of the hallway from the street, if they ever were fortunate enough to enter a great house, it would be through the backdoor. Only privileged members of society would be welcomed through the front entrance hall. It was therefore very important that the room be appropriately decorated to reflect the position and aspirations of its residents. Control of artificial light signified status and a fine gilt hall lantern such as this one, provided grandeur and bright, reliable illumination, safe from the extinguishing drafts that plagued lesser homes.
The decoration of the hall lantern was also used to denote the sophistication of its owner. Earlier designs such as this one, favoured simple symmetrical gilded aesthetics, whereas later regency hall lanterns were often more elaborately adorned. Acanthus leaves were a popular source of decoration in wealthy homes and carried with them deep symbolism. The use of acanthus in design dates back to the Corinthian columns in Ancient Greece and Rome, where the leaves were uses to signify immortality due to the natural tenacity of the plant. Acanthus became a symbol of cultural hegemony across the Roman Empire. Later, from the Renaissance onwards, acanthus was incorporated into interior design to indicate the rebirth of classical art and culture.