FLIGHT OF FANCY: THE GALLE CHANDELIER

The exhibition, held at the J. Paul Getty Museum (2019-2020), provided an in-depth look at a French chandelier made by the bronze caster and gilder Gérard Jean Galle in about 1818–19. R

Resembling a hot-air balloon, the chandelier at the center of this exhibition is a work of extreme novelty that includes a glass bowl intended to hold water and small goldfish. It was made in the early 1800s by Gérard Jean Galle, a French bronze caster and gilder. Galle adapted motifs from ancient art to a new form, creating an intriguing object that was thoroughly modern for its time. J. Paul Getty acquired the extraordinary piece in 1973, just before the opening of the Getty Villa in Malibu. On permanent display since its installation there and subsequent move to the galleries at the Getty Center, the chandelier is one of the most popular objects in the Museum’s collection of decorative arts. This special installation encourages close viewing of the chandelier and explores the inspiration, sources, and themes of its imaginative design.

Their website includes detailed photographs of the chandelier so you can see all of its fantastic details up close. Have a look!