Italian, Venice
Sanctuary Lamp, 17th century
Silver, 58 x 45 cm (22 13/16 x 17 11/16 in.)
This hanging silver sanctuary lamp is ornately decorated in repoussé (a technique of hammering a design into a soft metal). The lamp is hung from three chains descending from a cap that looks like the dome of a cupola that is attached to a simple black metal bracket. The neck of the lamp is shaped like a gourd, and it houses the candle socket. The body of the lamp is shaped like a flattened pumpkin. The very bottom of the lamp tapers down and ends like a teardrop.
Chapel
Commentary
Isabella Stewart Gardner kept meticulous records of many of her acquisitions. In keeping with this legacy, object information is continually being reviewed, updated, and enriched in order to give greater access to the collection.