Lantern for Candle 1935 - 1942

Albert Geuppert made this watercolor and graphite drawing of a candle lantern sometime in the 20th century. It depicts a utilitarian object designed to protect a candle from wind and rain. The humble lantern speaks to a time before widespread electrification when individual light sources were vital, especially for those traveling at night. As historians, we consider how such objects were part of a broader social infrastructure, providing safety and security in communities. The lantern’s design, with its simple form and practical handle, reflects a focus on function over elaborate ornamentation. Studying objects like this lantern, along with period inventories, trade records, and social histories, helps us understand the daily lives and material culture of past societies. Art gives meaning to the social context, and understanding it relies on such historical and institutional research.