When you think about a chandelier, what springs to mind? Is it sophistication and prosperity? If you are like most people that is precisely what you think about. Whether it's waltzing in a ballroom or just walking into the entrance of a nice home, we associate chandeliers with wealth and opulence.
Chandeliers were initially a functional item used to simply provide indoor lighting. In reality if you look at early drawings and depictions of a chandeliers, you'll see that they look like crude wooden planks holding up candles.
It was not until France's Louis XIV built his palace in Versailles and enhanced it with intricate and lavish chandeliers that they become linked with the upper class and high society (after all if it was not for Louis the XIV's flashiness, the French revolution may never have taken place).
Chandeliers were initially a functional item used to simply provide indoor lighting. In reality if you look at early drawings and depictions of a chandeliers, you'll see that they look like crude wooden planks holding up candles.
It was not until France's Louis XIV built his palace in Versailles and enhanced it with intricate and lavish chandeliers that they become linked with the upper class and high society (after all if it was not for Louis the XIV's flashiness, the French revolution may never have taken place).
Why, though, do they have crystals on them? Well, in the 1700's glass making advancements allowed for the production of lead crystals to develop. These were important in the history of chandeliers because crystals would create the light-scattering and reflective properties needed to better illuminate a room.
The most heavy chandelier is located in Dolmabahe Palace in Istanbul. It's a gift from Queen Victoria. This chandelier is so big that it has 750 lamps and it weighs over 4 tons (remind me not to stand under that chandelier--that might hurt if it fell...).
Although, most chandeliers may not weigh quite that much, they do weigh a considerable amount, and great care ought to be taken in soundly attaching them to the ceiling. Make sure you get a pro to inspect your house to be sure that your chandelier is safely attached to the structure of the ceiling.
In Modern times (with a capital "M"), chandeliers became more of a luxury item rather than a functional way of illuminating a space. Most of them become influenced by Rococo style (my history professor once described it as: If Baroque was a wild party, Rococo would be the hangover you get the next morning). Anyway, most recent chandeliers are more about the symbol of standing and wealth rather than lighting.
Chandeliers have changed considerably all though time. What once started as a functional and simple cross of wood which held candles has become even more of a symbol of status that's more about the message of wealth it conveys than the light it produces. Today yo
The most heavy chandelier is located in Dolmabahe Palace in Istanbul. It's a gift from Queen Victoria. This chandelier is so big that it has 750 lamps and it weighs over 4 tons (remind me not to stand under that chandelier--that might hurt if it fell...).
Although, most chandeliers may not weigh quite that much, they do weigh a considerable amount, and great care ought to be taken in soundly attaching them to the ceiling. Make sure you get a pro to inspect your house to be sure that your chandelier is safely attached to the structure of the ceiling.
In Modern times (with a capital "M"), chandeliers became more of a luxury item rather than a functional way of illuminating a space. Most of them become influenced by Rococo style (my history professor once described it as: If Baroque was a wild party, Rococo would be the hangover you get the next morning). Anyway, most recent chandeliers are more about the symbol of standing and wealth rather than lighting.
Chandeliers have changed considerably all though time. What once started as a functional and simple cross of wood which held candles has become even more of a symbol of status that's more about the message of wealth it conveys than the light it produces. Today yo
Although, most chandeliers may not weigh quite that much, they do weigh a considerable amount, and great care ought to be taken in soundly attaching them to the ceiling. Make sure you get a pro to inspect your house to be sure that your chandelier is safely attached to the structure of the ceiling.
In Modern times (with a capital "M"), chandeliers became more of a luxury item rather than a functional way of illuminating a space. Most of them become influenced by Rococo style (my history professor once described it as: If Baroque was a wild party, Rococo would be the hangover you get the next morning). Anyway, most recent chandeliers are more about the symbol of standing and wealth rather than lighting.
Chandeliers have changed considerably all though time. What once started as a functional and simple cross of wood which held candles has become even more of a symbol of status that's more about the message of wealth it conveys than the light it produces. Today you will find chandeliers that meet each taste imaginable ranging from rustic chandeliers that attempt to remember their straightforward beginnings, all the way up to intricate crystal chandeliers that may be worth a fortune in and of themselves.
About the Author:
In Modern times (with a capital "M"), chandeliers became more of a luxury item rather than a functional way of illuminating a space. Most of them become influenced by Rococo style (my history professor once described it as: If Baroque was a wild party, Rococo would be the hangover you get the next morning). Anyway, most recent chandeliers are more about the symbol of standing and wealth rather than lighting.
Chandeliers have changed considerably all though time. What once started as a functional and simple cross of wood which held candles has become even more of a symbol of status that's more about the message of wealth it conveys than the light it produces. Today you will find chandeliers that meet each taste imaginable ranging from rustic chandeliers that attempt to remember their straightforward beginnings, all the way up to intricate crystal chandeliers that may be worth a fortune in and of themselves.
About the Author:
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