BK-16972-B

About this artwork

Grote kandelaar van smeedijzer, staande op drie poten. Elke poot bestaat uit twee c-vormige stangen, die samen komen in een bol. Onderaan lopen de poten naar buiten. De drie poten komen in het midden samen, waarop de stam is geklonken. De stam heeft in het midden een geprofileerde nodus. De twee gelijke delen van de stam onder en boven de nodus zijn halverwege getordeerd. Boven- en onderaan de stam is een platte schijf. De bovenste heeft een opstaande rand en doet dienst als vetvanger, middenin ...

Art Historical Context

### BK-16972-B: Late Medieval Wrought Iron Candelabrum Step into the flickering light of the late Middle Ages with this impressive anonymous wrought iron candelabrum dating from around 1400 to 150. Standing nearly 1.7 meters tall and a sturdy 12 kg, this functional yet elegant piece exemplifies the craftsmanship of European blacksmiths during the Gothic. Forged from durable wrought iron—a medium prized for its malleability and—it served as a grand light source in churches, great halls, or affluent homes, where candles provided essential illumination before widespread electricity. The design is both practical and artful: three splayed legs, each formed by two C-shaped bars converging into ornamental balls, support a riveted central stem. This stem features a profiled node at its midpoint, with the upper and lower sections elegantly twisted for visual rhythm, flanked by flat discs. The top disc, with its raised edge as a drip tray and central candle pin, is a modern replacement, highlighting ongoing conservation efforts. Such forging techniques—hammering, twisting, and riveting—reveal the anonymous artisan's mastery, turning raw metal into sculptural form without complex tools. This candelabrum offers a window into medieval life, where ironwork blended utility with subtle decoration, enduring centuries as a testament to pre-industrial ingenuity. A rare survivor, it invites us to appreciate the unsung heroes of history's workshops.