Chandeliers - Jewellery for the home

Like icing on a cake, like diamonds on a beautiful woman, like garnish on a gourmet dish – chandeliers are that one addition to a room that makes a good thing better. Some refer to it as ‘jewellery for the home’, and the generous description isn’t faroff the mark.

The term ‘chandelier’ comes from the French word “chandelle” which means candle, since the original chandelier was made of a simple wooden cross with candles placed on four corners and hung from the ceiling. This relatively simple arrangement soon evolved into more complicated creations involving rock crystal, which was highly polished so that the reflective surfaces would provide more light. The chandeliers that we know today came into existence in its initial form around the late 16{+t}{+h} century when polished glass and rock crystal pendants (called “lustres”) came to be used along with beeswax candles. Soon, the term “lustres” came to refer to the entire crystal lighting structure up on the ceiling, and to this day, chandeliers are called lustres in French.

Centuries ago, beeswax candles were expensive and only the rich could afford them, while the poor made do with tallow and animal fat for light. So from its inception, chandeliers have been considered a status symbol and something only the very rich could afford, since it required many candles in addition to the expensive glass and crystals. The invention of lead crystal – a more affordable alternative to rock crystal, that was also easier to work with, led to a new era in the making of chandeliers. It led to the popular style of all-crystal chandeliers made with crystal covering even the metal parts and resulted in opulence of a whole new kind.

Innovations in technology have rendered the candle archaic but chandeliers still find a prominent place in décor and electricity has led to the creation of new kinds of chandeliers with increasingly modern influences, but which still retain the opulence that is associated with the term.

Go classic

No discussion of crystal chandeliers can be complete without the mention of the famed Bohemian crystal, one of the main components of what is now prized antique chandeliers. Earlier a part of the Austrian empire and now in the Czech Republic Bohemia became famous in the 17{+t}{+h} century for its beautiful clear glass and its expert craftsman who created glass crystal used in chandeliers. By the 19{+t}{+h} century, Bohemian crystal became a term of great renown and many palaces had chandeliers made from Bohemian crystal. In fact, one of the largest antique chandeliers in the world is made from Bohemian crystal and is in the Ceremonial Hall of Dolmabahçe Palace in Istanbul and has over 750 lamps and weighs 4.5 tonnes.

But the most famous of all glass manufacturers is probably the first name in crystal – French glass company Baccarat. Founded in 1764 under the instructions of King Louis XV, Baccarat have been associated with royalty since its inception and many of France’s palaces feature crystal chandeliers made by them. Pioneers in their field, Baccarat was one of the first people to create coloured crystal, and their ruby red and “onyx” black crystal became trademark favourites.

The Venetian island of Murano has been making glass since the early thirteenth century, an early start that gave them a monopoly over glass-making for centuries afterward. Chandeliers made from Venetian Murano glass are unique because they are made using traditional glass-blowing techniques and their fluid lines and delicate shape make them very different from crystal chandeliers but equally rare and treasured.

Try modern

Today, chandeliers are less of a necessity and more of a style statement, but don’t assume that they will only fit into décor styles that are old-fashioned or antique-themed. As beautiful as the old-world chandelier with over-the-top crystal, glass and metal can be, there is also much to be said for the new contemporary style of chandeliers that have come up.

Designers like Philippe Starck and Christopher Guy are some of the pioneers of the modern take on a classic décor piece. With sleek lines, less of shine and more focus on glow and taking inspiration from more unusual sources, the modern day interpretation of a chandelier is a great option for those looking for a centrepiece for a room done up in contemporary décor style. Whether its minimalist chic or futuristic steel, a chandelier would still make the perfect focal point for a room, and there’s sure to be a style to match.

One example would be the Maelstrom, created by designer Christopher Guy. Twirling tentacles are entwined in this piece made with blown glass, also referred to as the Octopussy Chandelier. When illuminated though, light is filtered through these ‘tentacles’, giving it radiating luminosity that has a beauty all of its own. The ‘Zentih sur la lagune’ from Phillipe Starck’s new collection for Baccarat is another piece that’s open to interpretation – two deer heads made of green glass, with large antlers, sit amicably between crystal pendants, numerous white lamps and a string of crystal beads. Regis Mathieu from the house of Mathieu Lustrerie, famous for its classic crystal chandeliers, has designed a series of modern works that are completely different from the house’s usual pieces. One particular piece – called the Orbit – features two concentric circles, made with hand-hewn smoky rock crystal, is a chandelier in the most modern interpretation of the term.

Between the classic, antique chandeliers of old or the modern reworked idea of it, the choices are many and varied. For the one piece that can bring that bit of extra luxury, shine and glamour to your living space, there’s nothing better than a chandelier.

elizabeth.mathew@thehindu.com