French lighting refers to the lamps, chandeliers, wall lights, lanterns and candelabra made in France, long regarded as one of the leading centres of decorative lighting. French pieces are associated with fine gilt bronze, cut crystal, elegant proportions and high standards of craftsmanship.
From the seventeenth century, French bronze workers produced gilt-bronze chandeliers, candelabra and wall lights for the court and aristocracy, and the Louis XIV, Louis XV and Louis XVI styles each left a distinctive mark on lighting design. In the nineteenth century, Paris workshops made large numbers of chandeliers and candelabra in historic styles, together with mechanical oil lamps such as the Carcel and moderator lamps, and founders such as Barbedienne produced fine bronzes. Around 1900, Art Nouveau glassmakers including Daum and Gallé made coloured cameo glass lamps, and in the 1920s and 1930s French Art Deco lighting by makers such as Maison Baguès and Albert Cheuret became celebrated. Collectors look for crisp casting, good gilding, original crystals and well-executed electrical conversions. French lighting, especially pairs of wall lights and crystal chandeliers, is widely used to bring a touch of glamour to drawing rooms and bedrooms.
