Designed by Walter von Nessen (American, born Germany, 1889–1943)
Manufactured by Nessen Studio, Inc. (American, founded 1927)
New York
Table Lamp
INV-2028
Designed by Walter von Nessen (American, born Germany, 1889–1943)
Manufactured by Nessen Studio, Inc. (American, founded 1927)
New Yorkc. 1930
ModernismArt Decolamp (lighting device)decorative arts
Date
c. 1930
Medium
Silver-plated brass, glass, and ebony
Dimensions
52.1 × 35.6 × 48.3 cm (20 1/2 × 14 × 19 in.)
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Location
Chicago, IL
Credit
Through prior bequest of Arthur Rubloff
Meant to accompany a series of tables that Walter von Nessen created around 1930, this streamlined lamp illustrates America’s shift to a modern aesthetic during the 1930s. Von Nessen championed the use of metal as an appropriate material to capture the look and spirit of the modern age. The object’s sleek lines convey standardized manufacturing, and its exposed hardware is characteristic of industrial fabrication. The lamp’s silver finish and added vertical strip of ebony give it a sumptuous quality.
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