The heyday of Art Nouveau went hand in hand with the electrification of the cities. Compared to gas lighting, electrical light is less dangerous, generates negligible heat and does not consume oxygen. However, the uniformity of electrical light was considered a disadvantage, seen as lifeless and sterile. Thus electricity brought with it both an opportunity and necessity to invent novel light fixtures – a challenge artists also confronted. The lamp designed by the small, yet around 1900 extremely successful Glassworks Loetz Witwe has the purpose of lending a space a mood with light, but more than that it is also a light sculpture in its own right. The lamp globe is iridized by the evaporation of metal salts. The method was developed by the Hungarian scientist Valentin Leó Pantocsek (1812–1893) to imitate the patina of ancient Glass works and from the late 19th century became a specialty of Tiffany in the USA and of Loetz. (Dedo von Kerssenbrock-Krosigk)
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