A chandelier is a branched decorative ceiling-mounted light fixture with two or more arms bearing lights. Chandeliers are often ornate, containing dozens of lamps and complex arrays of glass or crystal prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light. A lamp is a replaceable component such as an Incandescent light bulb, which is designed to produce Light from Electricity. Refraction is the change in direction of a Wave due to a change in its Speed.
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History
The earliest candle chandeliers were used in medieval places of assembly. They generally took the form of a wooden cross with a number of spikes on which candles could be secured, the whole assembly being hoisted to a suitable height on a rope or chain suspended from a hook. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick.
From the 15th century, more complex forms of chandeliers based on ring or crown designs began to become popular decorative features, found in palaces and homes of the nobility, clergy and merchant class. The high cost of night time illumination made the chandelier a symbol of luxury and status. By the early 18th century, ornate cast ormolu forms with long, curved arms and many candles could be found in the homes of much of the growing merchant class. The 18th century lasted from 1701 to 1800 in the Gregorian calendar, in accordance with the Anno Domini / Common Era numbering system Ormolu (from French or moulu, signifying gold ground or pounded is an 18th-century English term for applying finely ground high-karat gold to an object in bronze Neoclassical motifs became an increasingly common element, mostly in cast metals but also in carved and gilded wood. Neoclassicism (sometimes rendered as Neo-Classicism or Neo-classicism) is the name given to quite distinct movements in the decorative and Developments in glassmaking in the 18th century allowed the cheaper production of lead crystal. Glass in the common sense refers to a Hard, Brittle, transparent Solid, such as that used for Windows many Lead crystal (also called crystal) is Lead glass that has been hand- or machine-cut with facets The light-scattering properties of this highly refractive glass quickly became a popular addition to the form, leading to the crystal chandelier.
In the nineteenth century, as gas light became a source of illumination, branched ceiling fixtures were produced, and the term gasolier, a contraction of gas and chandelier, was frequently used. Gas illuminated chandeliers appeared in the mid-19th century, and many candle chandeliers were sometimes converted to gas. By the 1890s, and the appearance of electricity for illumination, chandeliers were produced that used both gas and electricity. As distribution of electricity became wider, and the supply dependable, fixtures wired only for electricity became standard.
The world's largest chandelier is located in Dolmabahce Palace, Turkey. Turkey (Türkiye known officially as the Republic of Turkey ( is a Eurasian Country that stretches It was a gift (or maybe not) from Britain to His Imperial Majesty, The Emperor of the Ottomans.
More complex and elaborate forms of chandelier continued to developed throughout the 18th and 19th centuries until the widespread introduction of first gas then electrical lighting devalued this traditional form of lighting's appeal. The 19th century of the Common Era began on January 1, 1801 and ended on December 31, 1900, according to the Gregorian calendar The incandescent light bulb, incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe is a source of electric Light that works by Incandescence, (a general
Towards the end of the 20th century, the chandelier is used more as a decorative focal point for a room and may not give any illumination.
One famous chandelier is the chandelier in the Opera Garnier which in the 1910 Gaston Leroux novel The Phantom of the Opera is crashed by the Phantom. The Palais Garnier, also known as the Opéra de Paris or Opéra Garnier, but more commonly as the Paris Opéra, is a 2200-seat Gaston Louis Alfred Leroux ( 6 May, 1868, Paris France &ndash 15 April, 1927) was a French Journalist The Phantom of the Opera (in French, Le Fantôme de l'Opéra) is a French Novel by Gaston Leroux.
Gallery
 Art Nouveau style chandelier, c. 1910, the Municipal House, Prague, Czech Republic |
 c. The Municipal House (in Czech Obecní dům) is a major civic landmark and concert hall in Prague, and an important building in architectural and political history 1805 36-light gilded wood French Empire chandelier in the Red Room of the White House |
 c. The Empire Style, sometimes considered the second phase of Neoclassicism, is an early-19th-century Design movement in Architecture, Furniture The Red Room is one of three state parlors on the first floor in the White House, the home of the President of the United States. See also Executive Office of the President of the United States The White House, formerly known as the Executive Mansion, is the Official residence 1920 chandelier, Stockholm City Hall, Stockholm, Sweden |
 Electrified gaslight chandelier, ormolu, bronze, and glass, c. Stockholm City Hall ( Swedish: Stockholms stadshus or Stadshuset locally is the building of the Municipal Council for the City of 1858, by Cornelius and Baker, Executive Chamber, the Vermont State House, Montpelier, Vermont |
 Contemporary chandelier of rock crystal, by Herzog and de Meuron installed at the Walker Art Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota |
 Chandelier in the Galt House in Louisville, Kentucky |
 c. The Vermont State House, located in Montpelier Vermont, is the capitol and seat of Vermont General Assembly. Herzog & de Meuron Architekten BSA/SIA/ETH ( HdeM) is a Swiss Architecture firm founded and headquartered in Basel, Switzerland in This page is about the Walker Art Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. 1920 French candle chandelier |
 A Neo-Baroque, French Second Empire chandelier. Neo-Baroque is a term used to describe artistic creations which display important aspects of Baroque style but are not from the Baroque period proper around the 17th-18th The Apartment of Napoleon III, Musée du Louvre (Palais du Louvre), Paris |
Glossary of terms
Adam style A neoclassical style, light, airy and elegant chandelier - usually English. Napoléon III, also known as Louis-Napoléon Bonaparte (full name Charles Louis Napoléon Bonaparte) (20 April 1808 9 January 1873 was the first President The Louvre Museum (Musée du Louvre located in Paris is the world's most visited art museum a historic monument and a national museum of France For the museum see Louvre Museum. The palais du Louvre in Paris, on the Right Bank of the Seine is a former royal
Arm The light-bearing part of a chandelier also sometimes know as a branch.
Arm Plate The metal or wooden block placed on the stem, into which the arms slot.
Bag A bag of crystal drops formed by strings hanging from a circular frame and looped back into the centre underneath, associated especially with early American crystal and regency style crystal chandeliers.
Baluster A turned wood or moulded stem forming the axis of a chandelier, with alternating narrow and bulbous parts of varying widths. A baluster (according to OED derived through the French balustre, from Italian balaustro, from balaustra, "pomegranate flower"
Bead A glass drop with a hole drilled right through.
Bobeche A dish fitted just below the candle nozzle, designed to catch drips of wax. A bobèche is a cup or ring at the top of a Candlestick, used to catch melted wax running down the side of the candle Also know as a drip pan.
Branch Another name for the light-bearing part of a chandelier also know as an arm.
Candelabra Not to be confused with chandeliers, candelabras are candlesticks, usually branched, designed to stand on tables, or if large, the floor. Candelabra is the term traditionally referring to a pair (or more of large decorative candlesticks often shaped as a Column or pedestal and having several
Candlebeam A cross made form two wooden beams with one or more cups and prickets at each end for securing candles.
Candle nozzle The small cup into which the end of the candle is slotted
Canopy An inverted shallow dish at the top of a chandelier from which festoons of beads are often suspended, lending a flourish to the top of the fitting.
Cage An arrangement where the central stem supporting arms and decorations is replaced by a metal structure leaving the centre clear for candles and further embellishments.
Corona Another term for crown-style chandelier
Crown A circular chandelier reminiscent of a crown, usually of gilded metal or brass, and often with upstanding decorative elements.
Crystal Glass with a lead content that gives it special qualities of clarity, resonance and softness – making it especially suitable for cutting. Also know as lead crystal. Lead crystal (also called crystal) is Lead glass that has been hand- or machine-cut with facets
Drip Pan The dish fitted just below the candle nozzle, designed to catch drips of wax. Know also as a bobeche. A bobèche is a cup or ring at the top of a Candlestick, used to catch melted wax running down the side of the candle
Drop A small piece of glass usually cut into one of many shapes and drilled at one end so that it can be hung from the chandelier with a brass pin. A chain drop is drilled at both ends so that a series can be hung together to form a necklace or festoon.
Dutch Also known as Flemish, a style of brass chandelier with a bulbous baluster and arms curving down around a low hung ball.
Festoon An arrangement of glass drops or beads draped and hung across or down a glass chandelier, or sometimes a piece of solid glass shaped into a swag. Festoon (from French feston, Italian festone, from a Late Latin festo, originally a festal garland Latin festum Also known as a garland.
Finial The final flourish at the very bottom of the stem. Some Venetian glass chandeliers have little finials hanging from glass rings on the arms.
Hoop A circular metal support for arms, usually on a regency-styles or other chandelier with glass pieces. Also know as a ring
Moulded The process by which a glass piece is shaped by being blown into a mould (rather than being cut)
Neoclassical Style Chandelier Glass chandelier featuring many delicate arms, spires and strings of beads.
Prism A straight, many sided drop
Regency Style Chandelier A larger chandelier with a multitude of drops. Above a hoop rise strings of beads that diminish in size and attach at the top to form a canopy. A bag, with concentric rings of pointed glass, forms a waterfall beneath. The stem is usually completely hidden.
Soda Glass A type of glass used typically in Venetian glass chandeliers. Soda glass remains “plastic” for longer when heated, and can therefore be shaped into elegant curving leaves and flowers.
Spire A tall spike of glass, round in section or flat sided. To which arms and decorative elements may be attached, made form wood, metal or glass.
Tent A tent shaped structure on the upper part of a glass chandelier where necklaces of drops attach at the top to a canopy and at the bottom to a larger ring.
Venetian A glass from the island of Murano, Venice but usually used to describe any chandelier in Venetian style. Murano is usually described as an Island in the Venetian Lagoon, although like Venice itself it is actually an Archipelago of islands linked
Waterfall Concentric rings of icicle drops suspended beneath the hoop or plate.
See also
References
- Abbott James A. A candle is a Light source and sometimes a Heat source consisting of a solid block of Fuel and an embedded wick. Candelabra is the term traditionally referring to a pair (or more of large decorative candlesticks often shaped as a Column or pedestal and having several A light fixture is an electrical device used to create artificial light or illumination , and Elaine M. Rice. Designing Camelot: The Kennedy White House Restoration. Van Nostrand Reinhold: 1998. ISBN 0-442-02532-7.
- Katz, Cheryl and Jeffrey. Chandeliers. Rockport Publishers: 2001. ISBN 978-1564968050.
- McCaffety, Kerri. The Chandelier Through the Centuries. Vissi d'Arte Books: 2007. ISBN 978-0970933652.
- Parissien, Steven. Regency Style. Phaidon: 1992. ISBN 0-7148-3454-8.
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