Candlestick
Although common in Roman times, candlesticks of the socket variety were not seen again in Europe until the fourteenth century. The revival of this type might well have been due to the return of merchants of the wax trade from the East, where socket candlesticks are known to have existed as early as the thirteenth century. The sockets were usually left open as the sides to facilitate the removal of the candle ends in order to reuse the wax, an expensive commodity. The drip pan, which in pricket candlesticks was placed directly below the candle, has here been lowered and incorporated into the high circular base. The fifteenth-century tendency to embellish the stem in manifested here with the skill that so distinguished the metalworkers of the Lowlands.
Artwork Details
- Title: Candlestick
- Date: 15th century
- Culture: German
- Medium: Copper alloy
- Dimensions: Overall: 9 1/4 x Diam. of base 4 1/4 in. (23.5 x 10.8 cm)
- Classification: Metalwork-Bronze
- Credit Line: The Cloisters Collection, 1957
- Object Number: 57.135
- Curatorial Department: Medieval Art and The Cloisters
More Artwork
A slider containing 5 items.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
Press the down key to skip to the last item.
German
ca. 1400
German
ca. 1425–50
German
late 15th century
German
1440–46
German
early 15th century
Related Content
Publications
Books, guides, and catalogues published by The Met.
Free to download
Research Resources
The Met provides unparalleled resources for research and welcomes an international community of students and scholars. The Met's Open Access API is where creators and researchers can connect to the The Met collection. Open Access data and public domain images are available for unrestricted commercial and noncommercial use without permission or fee.
To request images under copyright and other restrictions, please use this Image Request form.
Feedback
We continue to research and examine historical and cultural context for objects in The Met collection. If you have comments or questions about this object record, please complete and submit this form. The Museum looks forward to receiving your comments.