The Home Beautiful: The Thomas Johnson Candlestand, 1756-60

Candlestand
Thomas Johnson, c. 1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

From the V&A, we see one of a set of four stands, most decidedly in the fanciful, organic, Rococo style, which were made to hold candelabra. They are perfect examples of Britain’s brand of the Rococo which flourished in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

An exact attribution is impossible, however, this stand is obviously similar to a published design by the carver Thomas Johnson. Nevertheless, the work features popular themes of the time, especially a motif of dolphins.

If this is the work of Thomas Johnson, he might have based his design on an engraving of a candlestand by François Cuvilliés (1695-1768), a Flanders-born designer who famously worked for the Bavarian Court in Munich. The celebrated Thomas Chippendale later used a similar design in the third edition of his book The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director of 1762.

George, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1709-1793) bought these candlestands for Hagley Hall, Worcestershire, his country house which was built between 1754 and 1760. The set of four stood on flanking pier tables in the gallery of the monumental home, along a dramatic passage with windows overlooking the park. The stands were crafted of carved pine and painted to match the frames in the room—in a rich mahogany brown with a contrasting grey-white. The branches are cast of iron, with candlestick fittings of gilt brass.

Her Majesty's Furniture: A Candlestand, 19th C

Candlestand
Nineteenth Century
Crown Copyright
The Royal Collection
Image Courtesy of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II

This simple and elegant candlestand was made in mid-Nineteenth Century in Britain. Crafted of mahogany with brass fittings, the stand features two brass arms which are hinged at four points so they can be adjusted.

The central fluted wooden column terminates into carved, scrolling tripod legs which are adorned with a foliate design.

The Home Beautiful: The Thomas Johnson Candlestand, 1756-60

Candlestand
Thomas Johnson, c. 1760
The Victoria & Albert Museum

From the V&A, we see one of a set of four stands, most decidedly in the fanciful, organic, Rococo style, which were made to hold candelabra.  They are perfect examples of Britain’s brand of the Rococo which flourished in the late 1750s and early 1760s.

An exact attribution is impossible, however, this stand  is obviously similar to a published design by the carver Thomas Johnson. Nevertheless, the work features popular themes of the time, especially a motif of dolphins. 

If this is the work of Thomas Johnson, he might have based his design on an engraving of a candlestand by François Cuvilliés (1695-1768), a Flanders-born designer who famously worked for the Bavarian Court in Munich. The celebrated Thomas Chippendale later used a similar design in the third edition of his book The Gentleman and Cabinet Maker's Director of 1762.

George, 1st Baron Lyttelton (1709-1793) bought these candlestands for Hagley Hall, Worcestershire, his country house which was built between 1754 and 1760. The set of four stood on flanking pier tables in the gallery of the monumental home, along a dramatic passage with windows overlooking the park. The stands were crafted of carved pine and painted to match the frames in the room—in a rich mahogany brown with a contrasting grey-white. The branches are cast of iron, with candlestick fittings of gilt brass.

Her Majesty's Furniture: The Robert Adam Candlestand, 1771-4

This and all related images from:
The Victoria & Albert Museum

Inspired by then-recent discoveries of antiquities, this carved candlestand is painted blue with the white ornaments. It has been designed in the shape of a Roman sacrificial altar with the uppermost part in the shape of a bowl trimmed with molding in the form of a Vitruvian scroll frieze. Elaborate figural supports terminate in a triangular pedestal decorated with eagles and swags. The edges of the pedestal are adorned with a foliate drop, rams heads and lion's feet, resting on three Etruscan sphinxes.

Made in London between1771-1774, this candlestand is the work of Robert Adam (1728-1792) who was known for his architectural designs and fine woodworking. This piece is an intricate combination of pine (upper section and ornaments) and mahogany (the pedestal) held together with small metal nails.

This is one of a pair (another pair by Adam of simpler design is now in the Melbourne Art Gallery) thought to have been made for the eating room of 20 St. James's Square--the London town house of Sir Watkin Williams-Wynn, a leading patron of arts and music. The house was designed and built by Robert Adam between August 1771 and August 1774 and is one of the few surviving examples of Adam’s architectural designs. 

The pair was purchased by the Crown for display at the Victoria and Albert Museum, sometime in the Nineteenth Century.