Double-Plated Lamp c. 1865

This striking lamp was created by the Boston and Sandwich Glass Company, sometime in the mid-19th century. Immediately, the repetitive diamond and circular motifs command our attention, their cool blue hues evoking a sense of order and balance. But let us consider: these patterns are not new. The diamond, in its essence, is the lozenge, a symbol stretching back to the Neolithic era, representing fertility and the earth. And the circle? It is the sun, the eye, the infinite, appearing across countless cultures as a symbol of wholeness and eternity. Now, observe how they intertwine on this lamp, each contained within the other, a dance of opposing yet complementary forces. We see this echoed through time: in the geometric mosaics of Roman villas and Renaissance tapestries, where similar forms are found in varied arrangements. Does this not suggest a collective memory at play, a subconscious desire to replicate and reconcile the fundamental patterns of existence? Through this seemingly simple lamp, we are connected to the deepest currents of human visual history, as it continues its cyclical return through time.