Gothic Revival Chimera Lamp c. 1900 - 17"

This petite French table lamp, circa 1900, is cast in a tin-based alloy with a finely modeled winged chimera inspired by Viollet-le-Duc’s Gothic Revival gargoyles; its sinuous upright supports a mottled green-and-amber pâte-de-verre shade (a later but sympathetic replacement), while the rocaille base includes a small vide-poche tray, and the whole piece shows a pleasing, timeworn grey patina characteristic of early Art Nouveau cast-metal boudoir and desk lamps often paired with art glass. The design blends Gothic Revival imagery, popularized by Eugène Viollet-le-Duc’s studies of Notre-Dame-De-Paris, with the flowing lines of early Art Nouveau.

Such lamps were produced by French ateliers that specialized in cast pewter work for desks and boudoirs, often paired with art glass. Pâte de verre, a French specialty celebrated by makers such as Daum, Schneider, and Argy-Rousseau, underscores the period’s savoir-faire, though the present shade is of more recent manufacture and chosen to harmonize with the original mount.

Set on a library desk, entry console, or bedside table, the lamp brings moody character and focused light while the integrated vide-poche keeps small essentials close; it pairs beautifully with carved oak, leather, and Arts and Crafts furnishings, provides a striking counterpoint in a contemporary vignette. Its sculptural presence adds both quiet drama and a touch of mystery to any scheme.