Copied
Adrian Saxe, Untitled Oil Lamp, 1981, porcelain and glaze, 7 1⁄2 x 5 5⁄8 x 2 1⁄2 in. (19.0 x 14.3 x 6.3 cm.), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of R. Ford Singletary from the collection of Randy M. Leonard, 1991.5.1, © 1981, Adrian Saxe
Copied
Artwork Details
- Title
- Untitled Oil Lamp
- Artist
- Date
- 1981
- Location
- Dimensions
- 7 1⁄2 x 5 5⁄8 x 2 1⁄2 in. (19.0 x 14.3 x 6.3 cm.)
- Copyright
- © 1981, Adrian Saxe
- Credit Line
- Gift of R. Ford Singletary from the collection of Randy M. Leonard
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- porcelain and glaze
- Classifications
- Object Number
- 1991.5.1
Artwork Description
Known for his witty, innovative vessels, Adrian Saxe experimented with oil lamps throughout the 1970s and '80s, creating fanciful, functional lamps in a diverse range of forms, from plants and tropical fish to ones like Untitled Oil Lamp. Here, the lamp's body has a more traditional form, while the elongated loops at the top and vivid use of color add elements of playfulness. The serrated edges at the base of each loop are a common motif in Saxe's work, and contrast with the curved, asymmetrical base. Saxe returned to oil lamps in the late 1990s with his Hi-Fibre Magic Lamp series that feature vessels in the form of genie bottles precariously placed atop tall, elongated structures.