Ensemble van twee kandelabers, zes kandelaars en een middenstuk, met bijbehorend liber amicorum 1891

This set of two candelabras, six candlesticks, and a centerpiece, crafted by Firma Hoeker & Zoon, presents a compelling study in the symbolism of light and nature. The floral motifs, particularly the stylized tulips cradling the candleholders, evoke notions of prosperity, beauty, and, historically, even extravagance. These symbols are not isolated; the tulip, for instance, enjoyed a period of intense speculative value during the Dutch Golden Age. The candelabra themselves, reaching upwards like trees, recall ancient associations of light with knowledge, divinity, and the triumph over darkness. We see echoes of this in classical depictions of Apollo, god of light, or even in the menorah, a potent symbol of Judaism. Consider how the flame, perched atop these floral forms, dances between the earthly and the divine, engaging our collective memory and speaking to a deep, subconscious desire for enlightenment and warmth. This potent combination of natural and artificial light taps into primal emotions and spiritual yearnings, and it resurfaces continuously, adapting its form but never losing its essential power.