A Moth of Peace
Artist
Fred Wilson
(American, born 1954)
CultureAmerican
Date2018
MediumMurano glass and light bulbs
Dimensions70 × 68 1/2 × 68 1/2 in. (177.8 × 174 × 174 cm)
Credit LineMasterpiece Society Purchase Fund
Object number2022.10
Collections
Not on view
DescriptionThis is a largeglass chandelier made in the (Venetian) Rezzonico style. Its chain may be of any length, so the chandelier can be suspended so as to hang at the viewer’s eye level or over the head. The artist and gallery have displayed the chandeliers both ways, so the positioning becomes a curatorial choice. A white cloth cover can be used to hide the suspension chain.Blown and mold-blown glass elements cover a core metal framework, which encloses wiring for the lightbulbs that are screwed into the chandelier’s arms. The framework supports eight small curving arms, which are evenly spaced around its midpoint, and 12 large curving arms, which are evenly spaced around its lowest point. These 20 arms terminate in shallow, bowl-shaped glass elements decorated at the edge with pointed petals, which enclose the plastic “candles” with flame-tip lightbulbs. The chandelier is decorated with 44 individual glass elements that resemble natural vegetation, both leaves and flowers. These elements are inserted into small holes in 10 glass bowls with metal liners that are arranged within the framework; each glass element terminates in a metal tip that is identified by a unique number-letter label, allowing for proper placement.
Unknown
Late Dynasty 5-early Dynasty 6, reigns of Unas or Pepy I, 2375-2287 B.C.E.
Unknown
