Over the past 300 years, artistic and technological developments have transformed the methods and devices we use to provide light. Whether illuminated by candlelight, oil, or incandescent bulb, these devices play decorative and functional roles in public and private interior settings. This exhibition will highlight the museum’s extensive collection of candlesticks and lamps, including several recent acquisitions, while exploring the historic evolution of lighting forms and materials.

General support for the exhibition program at Carnegie Museum of Art is provided by grants from the Heinz Endowments and the Pennsylvania Council on the Arts.