Twee straatlantaarns c. 1866 - 1900

Charles Claesen made this drawing of two streetlights, or candelabras, on paper at an unknown date. These designs, likely intended for production in Belgium, employ a classical language. Notice the fluted columns and Corinthian capitals that evoke the architecture of ancient Greece and Rome. This harks back to the Enlightenment’s fixation on reason and order. But the exuberant ornamentation and the ornate lanterns at the top mark a later, more historicist moment when designers looked to the past for inspiration. The design is described as being of ‘Renaissance’ style which indicates a self-conscious revival of earlier forms. Claesen’s drawing is an index of the social importance of civic design and public utilities. Catalogues and design drawings like this served as resources for architects and city planners. To fully understand their context, we can consult archives, period publications, and urban planning documents, piecing together the story of how cities were shaped and illuminated.