Chandelier 1842 - 1845

Editor: Here we have a photograph of a Chandelier, crafted between 1842 and 1845. It’s currently housed at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and the artist is Clark, Coit, and Cargill. The grayscale tones give it a real sense of history and I’m really interested in the shapes that appear like geometric details. What speaks to you most when you look at it? Curator: The way the light probably diffused through those delicate shades is like catching moonlight in a jar, isn't it? And to imagine this hanging in a grand room, casting shadows... I bet it would feel like you’re dancing inside a dream. This chandelier offers us a peek into a world obsessed with creating illusions of light and space. Do you notice the way each curve, each link, seems designed to play with light? Editor: Absolutely, that interplay is stunning! The photograph almost makes the piece look as though it is floating. Curator: And doesn’t that floating sensation kind of sum up what a chandelier is all about? It’s like it suspends time, casting a spell of elegance. Think about how each little prism or crystal would catch a flame. I think you may even feel suspended and elegant yourself just to see it sparkling. How about you, does it remind you of anything else? Editor: I see your point. To me it feels almost otherworldly, it is an industrial piece with what I think is great artistry. Curator: That blend, I feel the exact same way. Editor: I love that even a functional item could reach levels of fine art! Curator: It tells a silent but shimmering story!