Untitled Oil Lamp

Adrian Saxe, Untitled Oil Lamp, 1981, porcelain and glaze, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of R. Ford Singletary from the collection of Randy M. Leonard, 1991.5.1, © 1981, Adrian Saxe
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

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
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/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.

Works by this artist (1036 items)

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William H. Johnson, Breakdown with Flat Tire, ca. 1940-1941, oil on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.587
Breakdown with Flat Tire
Artist
Dateca. 1940-1941
oil on plywood
On view
William H. Johnson, Chain Gang, ca. 1939, oil on plywood, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.675
Chain Gang
Artist
Dateca. 1939
oil on plywood
On view
William H. Johnson, Ferry Boat Trip, ca. 1943-1944, oil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.1011
Ferry Boat Trip
Artist
Dateca. 1943-1944
oil on paperboard
On view
William H. Johnson, Young Pastry Cook, ca. 1928-1930, oil on canvas, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.693
Young Pastry Cook
Artist
Dateca. 1928-1930
oil on canvas
On view

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Portrait of a Woman in Profile
Artist
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Joseph Cornell, On the Name of Susan, 1971, collage with ink, paint and pencil on paperboard, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of The Joseph and Robert Cornell Memorial Foundation, 1991.155.331
On the Name of Susan
Artist
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collage with ink, paint and pencil on paperboard
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William H. Johnson, Breakdown Scene, ca. 1940-1941, pen and ink with pencil or carbon transfer on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.483
Breakdown Scene
Artist
Dateca. 1940-1941
pen and ink with pencil or carbon transfer on paper
Not on view
William H. Johnson, Two Portrait Heads of a Woman, ca. 1930-1935, pen and ink and pencil on paper, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of the Harmon Foundation, 1967.59.395
Two Portrait Heads of a Woman
Artist
Dateca. 1930-1935
pen and ink and pencil on paper
Not on view