Genoa Le Strade Nuove and the system of the Palazzi dei Rolli-113860-trimmed

A chandelier () is an ornamental lighting device, typically with spreading branched supports for multiple lights, designed to be hung from the ceiling. Chandeliers are often ornate, and they were originally designed to hold

candle A candle is an ignitable candle wick, wick embedded in wax, or another flammable solid substance such as tallow, that provides light, and in some cases, a Aroma compound, fragrance. A candle can also provide heat or a method of keeping time. ...

s, but now

incandescent light bulb An incandescent light bulb, also known as an incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe, is an electric light that produces illumination by Joule heating a #Filament, filament until it incandescence, glows. The filament is enclosed in a ...

s are commonly used, as well as fluorescent lamps and LEDs. A wide variety of materials ranging from wood and earthenware to silver and gold can be used to make chandeliers. Brass is one of the most popular with Dutch or Flemish brass chandeliers being the best-known, but glass is the material most commonly associated with chandeliers. True glass chandeliers were first developed in Italy, England, France, and Bohemia in the 18th century. Classic glass and crystal chandeliers have arrays of hanging "crystal" prisms to illuminate a room with refracted light. Contemporary chandeliers may assume a more minimalist design, and they may illuminate a room with direct light from the lamps or are equipped with

translucent In the field of optics, transparency (also called pellucidity or diaphaneity) is the physical property of allowing light to pass through the material without appreciable light scattering by particles, scattering of light. On a macroscopic scale ...

glass shades covering each lamp. Chandeliers produced nowadays can assume a wide variety of styles that span modernized and traditional designs or a combination of both. Although chandeliers have been called candelabras, chandeliers can be distinguished from candelabras which are designed to stand on tables or the floor, while chandeliers are hung from the ceiling. They are also distinct from pendant lights, as they usually consist of multiple lamps and hang in branched frames, whereas pendant lights hang from a single cord and only contain one or two lamps with few decorative elements. Due to their size, they are often installed in large hallways and staircases, living rooms, lounges, and dining rooms, often as focus of the room. Small chandeliers can be installed in smaller spaces such as bedrooms or small living spaces, while large chandeliers are typically installed in the grand rooms of buildings such as halls and lobbies, or in religious buildings such as churches,

synagogue A synagogue, also called a shul or a temple, is a place of worship for Jews and Samaritans. It is a place for prayer (the main sanctuary and sometimes smaller chapels) where Jews attend religious services or special ceremonies such as wed ...

s or

mosque A mosque ( ), also called a masjid ( ), is a place of worship for Muslims. The term usually refers to a covered building, but can be any place where Salah, Islamic prayers are performed; such as an outdoor courtyard. Originally, mosques were si ...

Etymology

The word ''chandelier'' was first known in the

English language English is a West Germanic language that developed in early medieval England and has since become a English as a lingua franca, global lingua franca. The namesake of the language is the Angles (tribe), Angles, one of the Germanic peoples th ...

in the sense as used today in 1736, borrowed from the word in French that means a candleholder. It may have been derived from ''

chandelle The ''chandelle'' is an aircraft control maneuver where the pilot combines a 180° turn with a climb.Crane, Dale: ''Dictionary of Aeronautical Terms, third edition'', page 102. Aviation Supplies & Academics, 1997. tallow candle", or ''chandelabre'' in

Old French Old French (, , ; ) was the language spoken in most of the northern half of France approximately between the late 8th candēlābrum'' in wikt:candelabrum#Latin">candēlābrum'' in Latin, and ultimately from '' candēla'' meaning "candle". In the earlier periods, the term " wikt:candela#Latin">candēla'' meaning "candle". In the earlier periods, the term "candlestick", ''chandelier'' in France, may be used to refer to a candelabra, a hanging branched light, or a wall light or Sconce (light fixture)">sconce. In English, "hanging candlesticks" or "branches" were used to mean lighting devices hanging from the ceiling until chandelier began to be used in the 18th century. In France, ''chandelier'' still means a candleholder, and what is called chandelier in English is ' in French, a term first used in the late-17th century. The French ''lustre'', from Italian ', can also be used in English to mean a chandelier hung with crystals, or the glass pendant used to decorate such chandelier. The use of words for indoor lighting objects can be confusing, and a number of terms like lustres, branches, chandeliers and candelabras were used interchangeably at various times, which can make the early appearance of these words misleading. Girandole was also once used to refer to all candelabra as well as chandelier, although girandole now usually means an ornate branched candleholder that may be mounted on a wall, often with a mirror. Chandeliers may sometimes be called suspended lights, although not all suspended lights are necessarily chandeliers.

History

Precursors

Hanging lighting devices, some described as chandeliers, were known since ancient times, and circular ceramic lamps with multiple points for wicks or candles were used in the Roman period. The Roman terms ' or ' can refer to candlestick, floor lamps, candelabra, or chandelier. By the 4th century, terms such as ', ', ''pharicanthari'' were used, and they were often mentioned as presents of the popes. Polycandelon MET DT4521

In the

Byzantine The Byzantine Empire, also known as the Eastern Roman Empire, was the continuation of the Roman Empire centred on Constantinople during late antiquity and the Middle Ages. Having survived the events that caused the fall of the Western Roman E ...

period, flat circular metallic structures suspended with chains that can hold oil lamps known as polycandela (singular polycandelon) were commonly used throughout the eastern Mediterranean. First developed in

late antiquity Late antiquity marks the period that comes after the end of classical antiquity and stretches into the onset of the Early Middle Ages. Late antiquity as a period was popularized by Peter Brown (historian), Peter Brown in 1971, and this periodiza ...

, polycandela were used in churches and

s, and took the shape of a

bronze Bronze is an alloy consisting primarily of copper, commonly with about 12–12.5% tin and often with the addition of other metals (including aluminium, manganese, nickel, or zinc) and sometimes non-metals (such as phosphorus) or metalloid ...

or iron frame holding a varying number of globular or conical glass beakers provided with a wick and filled with oil. They may be hung between columns, over the altar or tombs of saints. Polycandela were also commonly used to furnish households up until the 8th century. Hanging lamps were commonly found in mosques in Islamic countries, while sanctuary lamps were found in churches. In Spain which had significant Moorish influence, hanging farol lanterns made of pierced brass and bronze as well as glass were produced. A type of Spanish silver ''lampadario'' with an elongated central reservoir for oil may have developed into a form of chandelier that has a central baluster and branching arms. The early form of hanging lighting devices in religious buildings may be of considerable size. Huge hanging lamps in

Hagia Sophia Hagia Sophia (; ; ; ; ), officially the Hagia Sophia Grand Mosque (; ), is a mosque and former Church (building), church serving as a major cultural and historical site in Istanbul, Turkey. The last of three church buildings to be successively ...

were described by Paul the Silentiary in 563: "And beneath each chain he has caused to be fitted silver discs, hanging circle-wise in the air, round the space in the center of the church. Thus these discs, pendant from their lofty courses, form a coronet above the heads of men. They have been pierced too by the weapon of the skillful workman, in order that they may receive shafts of fire-wrought glass and hold light on high for men at night." In the late 8th century, Pope Adrian I was said to have presented the St. Peter's Basilica with a chandelier that could hold 1,370 candles, while his successor Pope Leo III presented a golden corona decorated with jewels to the Basilica of St. Andrew. The Venerable Bede mentioned that it was customary to have two hanging lighting devices called ''phari'' in a major English church, one in the nave and one in the

choir A choir ( ), also known as a chorale or chorus (from Latin ''chorus'', meaning 'a dance in a circle') is a musical ensemble of singers. Choral music, in turn, is the music written specifically for such an ensemble to perform or in other words ...

, which may be a large bronze hoop with lamps hung over the figure of a cross.

Early chandeliers

In the

medieval In the history of Europe, the Middle Ages or medieval period lasted approximately from the 5th to the late 15th centuries, similarly to the post-classical period of World history (field), global history. It began with the fall of the West ...

period, circular crown-shaped hanging devices made of iron called the corona (''couronne de lumière'' in France and ''corona de luz'' in Spain) were used in many European countries in religious buildings since the 9th century. The larger Romanesque or Gothic-style circular wheel chandeliers were also recorded in Germany, France, and the Netherlands in the 11th and 12th century. Four Romanesque wheel chandeliers survive in Germany, including to be the Azelin and Hezilo chandeliers in

Hildesheim Cathedral Hildesheim Cathedral (German: '), officially the Cathedral of the Assumption of Mary (German: ''Hohe Domkirche St. Mariä Himmelfahrt'') or simply St. Mary's Cathedral (German: ''Mariendom''), is a medieval Roman Catholic cathedral in the city cent ...

, and the Barbarossa Chandelier in the Aachen Cathedral. These large structures may be considered the first true chandeliers. These chandeliers have prickets (vertical spikes for holding candles) and cups for oil and wicks. A hammered iron corona with floral decorated was recorded in the

St Paul's Cathedral St Paul's Cathedral, formally the Cathedral Church of St Paul the Apostle, is an Anglican cathedral in London, England, the seat of the Bishop of London. The cathedral serves as the mother church of the Diocese of London in the Church of Engl ...

in London in the 13th century. The iron chandeliers may have polychrome paint as well as jewel and enamelwork decorations. Medieval Illustration of Chandelier

Wooden cross-beam chandeliers were the early form of chandelier used in a domestic setting and they were found in the households of the wealthy in the medieval period. The wooden cross beams were attached to a vertical wooden pillar, and on each of the four arms a candle may be placed. Some that could hold two candles in each arm were called "double candlesticks". While simple in design compared to later chandeliers, such wooden chandeliers were still found in the court of Charles VI of France in the 15th century and a double candlestick was listed in the inventory of the estate of

Henry VIII Henry VIII (28 June 149128 January 1547) was King of England from 22 April 1509 until his death in 1547. Henry is known for his Wives of Henry VIII, six marriages and his efforts to have his first marriage (to Catherine of Aragon) annulled. ...

of England in the 16th century. In the medieval period, chandeliers may also be lighting devices that could be moved to different rooms. In later periods, wood used in chandeliers may be carved and gilded. By the late Gothic period, more complex forms of chandeliers appeared. Chandeliers with many branches radiating out from a central stem, sometimes in tiers, were made by the 15th century, and these may be adorned with statuettes and foliated decorations. Chandelier became popular decorative features in palaces and homes of nobility, clergy and merchants, and their high cost made chandeliers symbols of luxury and status. A diverse range of materials were also employed in the making of chandeliers. In Germany, a form of chandeliers made of deer antlers and wooden sculpted figures called lusterweibchen were known to have been made since the 14th century. Ivory chandeliers in the palace of the king of Mutapa, were depicted in a 17th-century description by Olfert Dapper.

Porcelain Porcelain (), also called china, is a ceramic material made by heating Industrial mineral, raw materials, generally including kaolinite, in a kiln to temperatures between . The greater strength and translucence of porcelain, relative to oth ...

introduced to Europe were also used to make chandeliers in the 18th century.

Brass chandelier

Many different metallic materials have been used to make chandeliers, including iron, pewter,

, or more prestigiously silver and even gold. Brass, however, has the warm appearance of gold while being considerably cheaper, and also easy to work with, it therefore became a popular choice for making chandeliers. Brass or brass-like latten has been used to make chandeliers since the medieval period, and many were made with brass-type alloy from Dinant (now in Belgium, brass ware from the town was known as '' dinanderie'') until the mid-15th century. The metal chandeliers may have a central support with curved or S-shaped arms attached, and at the end of each arm is a drip-pan and nozzle for holding a candle; by the 15th century, candle nozzles were used instead of prickets to hold the candles since candle production techniques allowed for the production of identically sized candles. Many such brass chandeliers can be seen depicted in Dutch and Flemish paintings from the 15th to 17th centuries. These Dutch and Flemish chandeliers may be decorated with stylized floral embellishments as well as Gothic symbols and emblems and religious figures. Large numbers of brass chandeliers existed, but most of the early brass chandeliers did not survive destruction during the

Reformation The Reformation, also known as the Protestant Reformation or the European Reformation, was a time of major Theology, theological movement in Western Christianity in 16th-century Europe that posed a religious and political challenge to the p ...

The Dutch brass chandeliers have distinctive features – a large brass sphere at the end of a central ball stem, and six curved low-swooping arms. The globe helps to keep the chandelier upright and reflect the light from candles, and the arms are curved downward to bring the candles to the level of the sphere to allow for maximum reflection. The arms of early brass chandeliers may also have drooped lower through use over time as the brass used in the earlier period was softer due to lower zinc content. Many Dutch chandeliers were topped by a double-headed eagle by the 16th century. The features of Dutch brass chandeliers were widely copied in other countries, and this form is arguably the most successful and long-lasting of all types of chandeliers. Dutch brass chandeliers were popular across Europe, particularly in England, as well as in the United States. Variations of the Dutch brass chandelier were produced, for example there may be multiple tiers of the arms, the sphere may become elongated, or the arms may emerge from the globe itself. By the early 18th century, ornate cast ormolu forms with long, curved arms and many candles were in the homes of many in the growing merchant class.

Glass and crystal chandeliers

Chandelier about 1700 - Getty collection 88

Chandeliers began to be decorated with carved rock crystal (quartz) of Italian origin in the 16th century, a highly expensive material. The rock crystal pieces were hung from a metal frame as pendants or drops. The metal frame of French chandeliers may have a central stem onto which arms are attached, later some may form a cage or "birdcage" without a central stem. Few, however, could afford these rock crystal chandeliers as they were costly to produce. In the 17th century multi-faceted crystals that could reflect light from the candles were used to decorate chandelier and they were called ''chandeliers de crystal'' in France. The chandeliers produced in France in the 17th century were in the French Baroque style, and

rococo Rococo, less commonly Roccoco ( , ; or ), also known as Late Baroque, is an exceptionally ornamental and dramatic style of architecture, art and decoration which combines asymmetry, scrolling curves, gilding, white and pastel colours, sculpte ...

in the 18th century. French rock crystal chandeliers found their finest expression under

Louis XIV LouisXIV (Louis-Dieudonné; 5 September 16381 September 1715), also known as Louis the Great () or the Sun King (), was King of France from 1643 until his death in 1715. His verified reign of 72 years and 110 days is the List of longest-reign ...

, as exemplified by chandeliers at the

Palace of Versailles The Palace of Versailles ( ; ) is a former royal residence commissioned by King Louis XIV located in Versailles, Yvelines, Versailles, about west of Paris, in the Yvelines, Yvelines Department of Île-de-France, Île-de-France region in Franc ...

Rock crystal began to be replaced by cut glass in the late 17th century. and examples of chandeliers made with rock crystal as well as Bohemian glass can be found in the Palace of Versailles. Crystal chandeliers in the early period were literally made of crystals, but what are called crystal chandeliers now are almost always made of cut glass. Glass, although not crystalline in structure, continued to be called crystal, after much clearer cut glass that resembled crystal was produced from the late 17th-century. Quartz is nevertheless still more reflective than the best glass, and lead glass that is perfectly clear was not produced until 1816. Although France is believed to have produced lead glass in the late-17th century, France used imported glass for its chandeliers until the late 18th century when high quality glass was produced in the country. The origin of the glass chandelier is unclear, but some scholars believed that the first glass chandelier was made in 1673 in

Orléans Orléans (,"Orleans"
(US) and Lead glass Lead glass, commonly called crystal, is a variety of glass in which lead replaces the calcium content of a typical potash glass. Lead glass contains typically 18–40% (by mass) lead(II) oxide (PbO), while modern lead crystal, historically a ...

was developed by George Ravenscroft 1675, which allowed for the production of cheaper lead crystal that resembles rock crystal without the crisseling defects of other glass. It is also relatively soft compared to soda glass, allowing it to be cut or faceted without shattering. Lead glass also rings when struck, unlike soda glass which has no resonance. The clearness and light scattering properties of lead glass made it a popular addition to the form, and conventionally, lead glass may be the only glass that can be described as crystal. The first mention of a glass chandelier in an advertisement appeared in 1727 (as ''schandelier'') in London. The design of the first English true glass chandelier was influenced by Dutch and Flemish brass chandeliers. These English chandeliers were made largely of glass, with the metal parts limited to the central stem and receiver plates and bowls. The metallic part may be silvered or silver-plated, and the silver-plating inside the glass stem can create the illusion that the chandelier is made entirely of glass. A glass bowl at the bottom disguises the metal disc onto which the glass arms are attached. The early glass chandeliers were molded and uncut, often with solid rope-twist arms. Later cuts to the arms were introduced to provide sparkle, and additional ornaments added. Cut glass pendant drops were hung from the frame, initially only a small number, but in increasingly large number by 1770. By the 1800s, the decorative ornaments became so abundant that the underlying structure of the chandelier became obscured. The early chandeliers may follow a

style, and later neo-classical style, A notable early producer of glass chandeliers was William Parker; Parker replaced the Dutch-influenced ball stem with a vase-shaped stem, as seen in the chandeliers in Bath Assembly Rooms, which were the first datable neo-Classical style chandeliers as well as the first chandeliers that were signed by the maker. Other designers of neo-Classical chandeliers were Robert and James Adam. Neoclassical motifs in cast metal or carved and gilded wood were common elements in these chandeliers. Chandeliers made in this style also drew heavily on the aesthetic of ancient Greece and Rome, incorporating clean lines, classical proportions and mythological creatures.

Bohemia Bohemia ( ; ; ) is the westernmost and largest historical region of the Czech Republic. In a narrow, geographic sense, it roughly encompasses the territories of present-day Czechia that fall within the Elbe River's drainage basin, but historic ...

in present-day Czech Republic has been producing glass for centuries. Bohemian glass contains potash that gives it a clear colorless appearance, which became renown in Europe in the 18th century. Production of crystal chandeliers appeared in Bohemia and Germany in the early 18th century, with designs that followed what were popular in England and France, and many early chandeliers were copies of designs from London. Bohemia soon developed its own styles of chandeliers, the best-known of which is the Maria-Theresa, named after the Empress of Austria. This type of chandeliers do not have a central baluster, and their distinctive feature is the curved flat metal arms placed between sections of molded glass joined together with glass rosettes. Some Bohemian chandeliers used wood instead of metal as the central stem due to the abundance of wood and wood carvers in the area. The Bohemian style was largely successful across Europe and its biggest draw was the chance to obtain spectacular light refraction due to the facets and

bevel A bevelled edge (UK) or beveled edge (US) is an edge of a structure that is not perpendicular to the faces of the piece. The words bevel and chamfer overlap in usage; in general usage, they are often interchanged, while in technical usage, they ...

s of crystal prisms. Glass chandeliers became the dominant form of chandelier from about 1750 until at least 1900, and the Czech Republic remains a great producer of glass chandeliers today. Murano Glass Chandelier

Venice has been a center of glass production, particularly on the island of Murano. The Venetians created a form of soda–lime glass by adding manganese dioxide that is clear like crystal, which they called cristallo. This glass was typically used to make mirrors, but around 1700, Italian glass factories in Murano started creating new kinds of artistic chandeliers. Since Murano glass is hard and brittle, it is not suitable for cutting/faceting; however, it is lighter, softer and more malleable when heated, and Venetian glassmakers relied upon the properties of their glass to create elaborate forms of chandelier. Typical features of a Murano chandelier are the intricate arabesques of leaves, flowers and fruits that would be enriched by colored glass, made possible by the specific type of glass used in Murano. Great skill and time was required to twist and shape a chandelier precisely. The ornate type of murano chandelier is called ''ciocca'' (literally "bouquet of flowers") for the characteristic decorations of glazed

polychrome Polychrome is the "practice of decorating architectural elements, sculpture, etc., in a variety of colors." The term is used to refer to certain styles of architecture, pottery, or sculpture in multiple colors. When looking at artworks and ...

flowers. The most sumptuous consisted of a metal frame covered with small elements in blown glass, transparent or colored, with decorations of flowers, fruits and leaves, while simpler models had arms made with unique pieces of glass. Their shape was inspired by an original architectural concept: the space on the inside is left almost empty, since decorations are spread all around the central support, distanced from it by the length of the arms. Huge Murano chandeliers were often used for interior lighting in theaters and rooms in important palaces. Despite periods of decline and revival, designs of Murano glass chandeliers have stayed relatively constant through time, and modern productions of these chandelier may still be stylistically nearly identical to those made in the 18th or 19th centuries. Glass arms that were hollow were produced instead of solid glass to accommodate gas lines or electrical wiring were produced by the late 19th century. Chandeliers were also produced in other countries in the 18th century, including Russia and Sweden. Russian and Scandinavian chandeliers are similar in designs, with a metal frame that is lighter and more decorative, gilded or finished with brass, and hung with small slender glass drops. Russian chandeliers may be accented with coloured glass. In

Genoa Genoa ( ; ; ) is a city in and the capital of the Italian region of Liguria, and the sixth-largest city in Italy. As of 2025, 563,947 people live within the city's administrative limits. While its metropolitan city has 818,651 inhabitan ...

, Italy, a style of chandeliers with beaded glass was developed.

19th century

The 19th century was a period of great changes and development; the industrial revolution and the growth of wealth from the industries greatly increased the market for chandeliers, new methods of lighting and better techniques of production emerged. Other countries such as the United States also started producing chandeliers; the first American chandelier is believed to date from 1804. New styles and more complex and elaborate chandeliers also appeared, and production of chandeliers reached a peak in the 19th century. France, which only started producing significant amount of high-quality glass in the late 18th century, became renown as a producer of the finest quality chandeliers. One of the best-known French manufacturers, Baccarat, started making chandeliers in 1824. In England, Perry & Co. produced a large quantity of chandeliers, while F. & C. Osler was known for producing spectacular chandeliers, the great proportion of which went to India, the richest market for chandeliers at that time. In 1843, Osler opened a branch in

Calcutta Kolkata, also known as Calcutta (List of renamed places in India#West Bengal, its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian States and union territories of India, state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern ba ...

to start production of chandeliers in India. Watts Warehouse interior3

In England, the imposition of the Glass Excise Act on all glass products in 1811 led to a new style of chandelier being created. Chandelier makers, in order to avoid paying the tax, reused broken glass pieces cut into crystal icicles and strung together, and hung from circular frames in the form of tent or canopy above a hoop, with a bag below and/or tiered sheets that resembled waterfalls. A large number of crystals are used to make such chandeliers, and many may contain over 1,000 pieces of crystal. The central stem is hidden by the crystals. These forms of Regency-era chandeliers were popular all over Europe. In France, chandeliers of similar designs are described as

Empire style The Empire style (, ''style Empire'') is an early-nineteenth-century design movement in architecture, furniture, other decorative arts, and the visual arts, representing the second phase of Neoclassicism. It flourished between 1800 and 1815 duri ...

. The simpler and more austere Neoclassical designs of the preceding era is called the Directoire style. After the Glass Excise Act was repealed, chandeliers with glass arms became popular again, but they became larger, bolder and heavily decorated. The largest English-made chandelier in the world (by Hancock Rixon & Dunt and probably F. & C. Osler) is in the Dolmabahçe Palace in

Istanbul Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...

, and it has 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tons. In the 19th century, a variety of new methods for producing light that are brighter, cleaner or more convenient than candles began to be used. These included colza oil ( Argand lamp),

kerosene Kerosene, or paraffin, is a combustibility, combustible hydrocarbon liquid which is derived from petroleum. It is widely used as a fuel in Aviation fuel, aviation as well as households. Its name derives from the Greek (''kērós'') meaning " ...

/paraffin, and gas. Due to its brightness, gas was initially only used for public lighting, later it also appeared in homes. As

gas lighting Gas lighting is the production of artificial light from combustion of a fuel gas such as methane, propane, butane, acetylene, ethylene, hydrogen, carbon monoxide, coal gas (town gas) or natural gas. The light is produced either directly by ...

caught on, branched ceiling fixtures called ''gasoliers'' (a portmanteau of gas and chandelier) were produced. Many candle chandeliers were converted. Gasoliers may have only slight variations in the decorations from chandeliers, but the arms were hollow to carry the gas to the burners. Examples of gasoliers were the extravagant chandeliers in the Royal Pavilion in

Brighton Brighton ( ) is a seaside resort in the city status in the United Kingdom, city of Brighton and Hove, East Sussex, England, south of London. Archaeological evidence of settlement in the area dates back to the Bronze Age Britain, Bronze Age, R ...

first installed in 1821. While popular, gas lighting was considered too bright and harsh on the eyes, and lacking the pleasing quality of candlelight. Shades that surround the gas light were then added to reduce the glare. Gas lighting was eventually replaced by electric light bulbs in the early 20th century. Glasgow City Chambers - Banqueting Hall - 3

Glasgow City Chambers - Banqueting Hall - 3

Electric light Electric light is an artificial light source powered by electricity. Electric Light may also refer to: * Light fixture, a decorative enclosure for an electric light source * Electric Light (album), ''Electric Light'' (album), a 2018 album by James ...

ing began to be introduced widely in the late 19th century. For a time, some chandeliers used both gas and electricity, with gas nozzles pointing upward while the light bulbs hung downward. As distribution of electricity widened, and supplies became dependable, electric-only chandeliers became standard. Another portmanteau word, '' electrolier'', was coined for these, but nowadays they are most commonly still called chandeliers even though no candles are used. Glass chandeliers requires electrical wiring, large areas of metals and light bulbs, but the results were often not aesthetically pleasing. A large number of light bulbs close together can also produce too much glare. Shades for the bulbs of these electroliers were therefore often added.

Modern chandeliers

At the turn of the 20th century, the chandelier still enjoyed the status it had the previous century. Of the many lighting fixtures made that conformed to the popular contemporary styles of

Art Nouveau Art Nouveau ( ; ; ), Jugendstil and Sezessionstil in German, is an international style of art, architecture, and applied art, especially the decorative arts. It was often inspired by natural forms such as the sinuous curves of plants and ...

Art Deco Art Deco, short for the French (), is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that first Art Deco in Paris, appeared in Paris in the 1910s just before World War I and flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920 ...

and

Modernism Modernism was an early 20th-century movement in literature, visual arts, and music that emphasized experimentation, abstraction, and Subjectivity and objectivity (philosophy), subjective experience. Philosophy, politics, architecture, and soc ...

, few could be described properly as chandeliers. The popularity of chandeliers declined in the 20th century. A vast array of lighting choices became available, and chandeliers often did not fit the aesthetics of modern architecture and interior design. Light fittings of avant-garde form and material however started to be made 1940. A wide variety of chandeliers of modern design appeared, ranging from the minimalist to the highly extravagant. Towards the end of the 20th century, the popularity of chandeliers revived. A number of glass artists such as Dale Chihuly who produced chandeliers emerged. Chandeliers were often used as decorative focal points for rooms, although some do not necessarily illuminate. Older styles of chandeliers continued to be produced in the 20th and 21st centuries, and older styles of chandeliers may also be revived, such as the Art Deco-style of chandeliers. Metropolitan Opera 3491661640 6255884783

Metropolitan Opera 3491661640 6255884783

Incandescent light bulb An incandescent light bulb, also known as an incandescent lamp or incandescent light globe, is an electric light that produces illumination by Joule heating a #Filament, filament until it incandescence, glows. The filament is enclosed in a ...

s became the most common source of lighting for modern chandeliers in the 20th century, and a variety of electrical lights such as fluorescent light, halogen. LED lamp are also used. Many antique chandeliers not designed for electrical wiring have also been adapted for electricity. Modern chandeliers produced in older styles and antique chandeliers wired for electricity usually use imitation candles, where incandescent or LED light bulbs are shaped like candle flames. These light bulbs may be dimmable to adjust the brightness. Some may use bulbs containing a shimmering gas discharge that mimics candle flame.

Chandeliers around the world

The biggest chandeliers in the world are now mostly found in the Islamic countries. The chandelier in the prayer hall in the Sultan Qaboos Grand Mosque in Muscat, Oman was the biggest when it was installed in 2001. It is high, has a diameter of , and weighs over eight tonnes (8,000 kg). It is lit by over 1,122 halogen lamps and contains 600,000 pieces of crystal. The biggest chandelier in the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in

Abu Dhabi Abu Dhabi is the capital city of the United Arab Emirates. The city is the seat of the Abu Dhabi Central Capital District, the capital city of the Emirate of Abu Dhabi, and the UAE's List of cities in the United Arab Emirates, second-most popu ...

, with a diameter of 10 m, height of 15.5 m, weight of nearly 12 tonnes and lit with 15,500 LED lights, became the world's largest chandelier when it was installed in 2007. In 2010, a chandelier of modern design was built in the foyer of an office building in

Doha Doha ( ) is the capital city and main financial hub of Qatar. Located on the Persian Gulf coast in the east of the country, north of Al Wakrah and south of Al Khor (city), Al Khor and Lusail, it is home to most of the country's population. It ...

Qatar Qatar, officially the State of Qatar, is a country in West Asia. It occupies the Geography of Qatar, Qatar Peninsula on the northeastern coast of the Arabian Peninsula in the Middle East; it shares Qatar–Saudi Arabia border, its sole land b ...

. This chandelier has a height of , width of , length of , and weight of 39,683 pounds (18 tonnes). It has 165,000 LED lights and 2,300 optical crystals and it is considered the biggest interactive LED chandelier in the world. In 2022, a chandelier in height, in length and in width and weighing 16 tonnes was unveiled at the Assima Mall in Kuwait. In Egypt, the largest and heaviest chandelier in the world, weighing 24,300 kg (53,572 lb) with a diameter of 22 m (72.2 ft) in four levels made by Asfour Crystal, was installed in the Grand Mosque of the Islamic Cultural Center in Cairo.

Glossary of terms

; Adam style : A Neoclassical style, light, airy and elegant chandelier – usually English. Chandelier MET DP116371

; Arm : The light-bearing part of a chandelier also sometimes known 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 center underneath, associated especially with early American crystal and Regency style crystal chandeliers. ; Baluster : A turned wood or molded stem forming the axis of a chandelier, with alternating narrow and bulbous parts of varying widths. ; Bead : A glass drop with a hole drilled in it. ; Bobèche : A dish fitted just below the candle nozzle, designed to catch drips of wax. Also known as a drip pan. ; Branch : Another name for the light-bearing part of a chandelier, also known as an arm. ; Cage : An arrangement where the central stem supporting arms and decorations is replaced by a metal structure leaving the center clear for candles and further embellishments. Also called a "bird cage". ; Candlebeam : A cross made from 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. ; 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 : Essentially a traditional marketing term for

lead glass Lead glass, commonly called crystal, is a variety of glass in which lead replaces the calcium content of a typical potash glass. Lead glass contains typically 18–40% (by mass) lead(II) oxide (PbO), while modern lead crystal, historically a ...

with a chemical content that gives it special qualities of clarity, resonance and softness, making it especially suitable for use in cut glass. Some chandeliers, as at the

are actually made of cut rock crystal (clear

quartz Quartz is a hard, crystalline mineral composed of silica (silicon dioxide). The Atom, atoms are linked in a continuous framework of SiO4 silicon–oxygen Tetrahedral molecular geometry, tetrahedra, with each oxygen being shared between two tet ...

), which cut glass essentially imitates. ; Drip pan : The dish fitted just below the candle nozzle, designed to catch drips of wax. Also known as a bobèche. ; 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 as a pendant 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. 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 known as a ring. ; Montgolfière chandelier : A chandelier with a rounded bottom, like an inverted

hot air balloon A hot air balloon is a lighter-than-air aircraft consisting of a bag, called an envelope, which contains heated air. Suspended beneath is a gondola or wicker basket (in some long-distance or high-altitude balloons, a capsule), which carri ...

, named after the

Montgolfier brothers The Montgolfier brothers – Joseph-Michel Montgolfier (; 26 August 1740 – 26 June 1810) and Jacques-Étienne Montgolfier (; 6 January 1745 – 2 August 1799) – were aviation pioneers, balloonists and paper manufacturers from the Communes o ...

, the early French balloonists. ; Molded : The process by which a pressed glass piece is shaped by being blown into a mold. ; Neoclassical style chandelier: A glass chandelier featuring many delicate arms, spires and strings of ovals

rhomboid Traditionally, in two-dimensional geometry, a rhomboid is a parallelogram in which adjacent sides are of unequal lengths and angles are non-right angled. The terms "rhomboid" and "parallelogram" are often erroneously conflated with each oth ...

s or

octagon In geometry, an octagon () is an eight-sided polygon or 8-gon. A '' regular octagon'' has Schläfli symbol and can also be constructed as a quasiregular truncated square, t, which alternates two types of edges. A truncated octagon, t is a ...

s. ; Panikadilo : Gothic candelabrum chandelier hung from centers of

Greek Orthodox Greek Orthodox Church (, , ) is a term that can refer to any one of three classes of Christian Churches, each associated in some way with Greek Christianity, Levantine Arabic-speaking Christians or more broadly the rite used in the Eastern Rom ...

cathedrals' domes. ; Pendeloque : Specific pear- and drop-shaped versions of drops. ; Prism: A straight, many-sided drop. ; Regency style chandelier: A larger chandelier with a multitude of drops. Above a hoop, rises strings of beads that diminish in size and attach at the top to form a canopy. A bag, with

concentric In geometry, two or more objects are said to be ''concentric'' when they share the same center. Any pair of (possibly unalike) objects with well-defined centers can be concentric, including circles, spheres, regular polygons, regular polyh ...

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. Refracts light poorly and is normally fire polished. Tatton Park 2016 126

; Spire : A tall spike of glass, round in section or flat sided, to which arms and decorative elements may be attached, made from 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. ; Waterfall or wedding cake : Concentric rings of icicle drops suspended beneath the hoop or plate. Source:

Gallery

File:11th century unknown painters - St Clement celebrating the Mass - WGA19754.jpg, 11th century depiction of a corona File:Jan Vermeer - The Art of Painting - Google Art Project.jpg, The Art of Painting by Johannes Vermeer, with a Dutch brass chandelier depicted File:Prismahåv används i Stora salongen - Hallwylska museet - 86298.tif, A housemaid cleaning a chandelier with a 'prism trap', early 20th century home museum Stockholm

Sweden Sweden, formally the Kingdom of Sweden, is a Nordic countries, Nordic country located on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. It borders Norway to the west and north, and Finland to the east. At , Sweden is the largest Nordic count ...

File:Kronleuchter-Propsteikirche.jpg, Gothic chandelier from

Dortmund Dortmund (; ; ) is the third-largest city in North Rhine-Westphalia, after Cologne and Düsseldorf, and the List of cities in Germany by population, ninth-largest city in Germany. With a population of 614,495 inhabitants, it is the largest city ...

, Germany File:06047 FIN Helsinki Uspenski cathedral chandelier V-P.jpg, Chandelier in the Uspenski Cathedral in Helsinki File:776Parish San Jose Bamboo Organ Las Piñas Church 19.jpg, Chandelier made of Capiz shells in Las Piñas Church, Philippines File:Lampadario in vetro di Murano - Ca' Rezzonico, Venice.jpg, A mid-18th century Murano glass chandelier by Giuseppe Briati File:Intérieur de l'Hôtel de la Marine en février 2014 - 21.jpg, Chandeliers in the Hôtel de la Marine in Paris File:Salottino di porcellana della regina amalia, 1757-59 ca. 01.JPG, Chandelier made of porcelain in the Salottino di porcellana File:Chandelier MET DP-13853-084.jpg, Ivory chandelier, late 18th-century, possibly Indian File:Baccarat Chandelier in Tokyo-trimmed 3.jpg, Baccarat Eternal Lights in Tokyo File:Palazzo colonna, appartamento della principessa isabelle, sala del tempesta, lampadario in vetro di boemia.JPG, A chandelier with Bohemian glass File:Hector Guimard (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Lyon) (5469592828).jpg, Art Nouveau chandelier by

Hector Guimard Hector Guimard (, 10 March 1867 – 20 May 1942) was a French architect and designer, and a prominent figure of the Art Nouveau style. He achieved early fame with his design for the Castel Beranger, the first Art Nouveau apartment building i ...

File:3-Cushion WC 2005-Venue 1.jpg, Chandeliers in a large billiard hall File:Rosenborg Castle - Frederik V's Cabinet 01.jpg, Amber chandelier in

Rosenborg Castle Rosenborg Castle () is a renaissance castle in Copenhagen, Denmark. The castle was originally built as a country summerhouse in 1606 and is an example of Christian IV's many architectural projects. It was built in the Dutch Renaissance style, t ...

, early 18th century File:Sedlec-Ossuary.jpg, Chandelier made of human bones in Sedlec Ossuary File:Festetics Place - a spectacular chandelier.jpg, Chandelier in the Festetics Palace File:Vladimir hall2.jpg, Chandelier in the Grand Kremlin Palace File:Artica crystal chandelier cluster.jpg, Chandelier of modern design File:Palacio Real de Madrid - Interior 02.jpg, Chandelier in the Royal Palace of Madrid File:Royal Lyceum Edinburgh Chandelier.jpg, A chandelier in Edinburgh File:Exposition Baccarat au Petit Palais à Paris, octobre 2014.jpg, Chandelier with lampshades File:Interior of Hallwyl House Dining Hall DSC7383.jpg, Chandelier fitted with flame-shaped light bulbs File:Kronleuchter. Zürich Hauptbahnhof.jpg, A modern chandelier in Zurich File:Seyyed Mosque 11.jpg, Chandelier in Seyyed Mosque, Iran File:Dolmabache crystal staircase.JPG, Chandelier in the Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul File:Chandelier about 1818–1819 - Getty collection 73.DH.76.jpg, Chandelier by Gérard Jean Galle File:Chandelier in durgapandal.jpg, A chandelier in one of the Durga Puja pandals in West Bengal, India File:History and Institutions- with illustrations and sketches of banking, wholesale manufacturing and professional interests of Toledo, Ohio - DPLA - 92f742d33d4dcde003ea49375198e699 (page 60) (cropped).jpg, An advertisement for the Central Chandelier Company out of

Toledo, Ohio Toledo ( ) is a city in Lucas County, Ohio, United States, and its county seat. It is located at the western end of Lake Erie along the Maumee River. Toledo is the List of cities in Ohio, fourth-most populous city in Ohio and List of United Sta ...

in 1895 File:Crystal Chandelier Al Ameen-Mosque (retouched).jpg, One of the largest chandeliers ever produced, for the Al Ameen Mosque in Muscat (Oman), shortly before delivery File:Wedding Cake Chandelier.jpg, Wedding Cake chandelier with waterfall design

References

Sources

* * * * Katz, Cheryl and Jeffrey.
Chandeliers
' Rockport Publishers: 2001. . * * * * * * * Parissien, Steven. ''Regency Style.'' Phaidon: 1992. . {{Authority control Light fixtures Glass art Ceilings Chandeliers