Design Notes {Dragonfly & Waterflowers Tablelamp 1900 LCT}

Question 1

Consideration of Function

Answer 1

1.Within the ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp design, the shade is in a cone-like form. The effect of this is that the light is directed and projected downwards and creates a soft and subtle lighting source.
2. ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp has a large, bulbous base containing the oil used to fuel the lamp. This round shape allows the lamp to burn oil to create light for long periods. The bigger the base, the longer the run time.

Question 2

Fitness For Purpose

Answer 2

1. Within the ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp design, created in 1900, the large base of copper holding a vast amount of oil to burn as light also acts as a broad, sturdy structure to create a safe, balanced lamp. The width of the base prevents the lamp from any possible damage.
2. ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900 contains a transparent shade made of coloured glass. This transparency allows the shade to let out light well, causing the light to illuminate and fill a room with colour and light.

Question 3

Materials / Techniques

Answer 3

1.Bronze is a strong metal. This strength is essential for supporting the heavy glass shade within the ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp; the bronze can be shaped into suitable shapes and cast to give a solid structure and add to the overall safety of the lamp.
2. Glass is a very appropriate material for a light shade due to its transparent properties, which help the light produced effortlessly diffuse into the room. The lead within the shade is poured between the glass to help connect and support the shade further.

Question 4

Target Market / Audience

Answer 4

1.The ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900 would appeal to nature lovers due to the imagery used being flowers, plants, and insects. The lamp would bring the outdoors indoors. This imagery makes it appealing to this group of people. We can see the appeal of this imagery in the base and the shade of this design, which uses highly decorative natural shapes.
2. ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900 appealed to an international group of people from New York society to customers in Europe. The appeal was universal due to its iconic look. Everybody wanted to aspire to own such a piece to decorate their home.
This popularity was due to the lamp’s individual, hand-made, vibrant, and timeless design.

Question 5

Visual Impact

Answer 5

1.Within the ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900’ visual impact appears due to the detailed glass pieces. These different coloured pieces of glass in the shade, when lit,produce a vibrant glow of colours within the lamp. These colours create an eye-catching,pleasing lamp, adding to its aesthetics.
2.The line and shape of the dragonfly images creates an impactful pattern around the shade, adding to the precise detailing of the lamp and makes the shade look eye catching elaborate and appealing.

Question 6

Style

Answer 6

1.Within the design of the ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900 the style is elaborate. We can see the mosaic technique used to decorate the background of the base.The mosaic technique adds vibrant decoration to the lamp, making it eye-catching and aesthetically pleasing
2.The style is handcrafted, apparent due to the random lead and glass designs within the shade. The glass looks hand-cut, adding to the fluid look of the lamp. We can also see that the base has a hand-beaten look; its surface is uneven. This rough surface gives you the feeling that one person has laboured over the crafting of the lamp.

Question 7

Exposure to Different Cultures

Answer 7

Tiffany began his career as a painter and made a considerable amount of money, which allowed him to travel extensively throughout Europe and North America. In 1870-1871, he travelled with painter Robert Swain Gifford to North Africa, where he derived inspiration for “Snake Charmer in Tangier, Africa’. Completed in 1872 and exhibited at the 1876 Centennial Exposition in Philadelphia, the painting shows Tiffany’s penchant for exotic art and architecture. This exposure to different cultures influenced the insect imagery used to create the ‘Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900 by Louis Comfort Tiffany.

Question 8

New and Emerging Technology

Answer 8

Alongside Arthur Nash, a skilled glassworker, Tiffany’s furnaces developed a method whereby different colours of glass were blended in their molten state, achieving subtle effects of shading and texture. The influence of this technology can be seen in the Shading, and variations of light and textures in the colourful glass shade of the” Dragonfly and Waterflowers’ table lamp 1900 by Louis Comfort Tiffany.