Christian Herter was most famous for his fine-crafted furniture, as part of the 'Herter Brothers of New York'.
His work can be found in the most prestigious of homes, including 'The White House', and covered every aspect of Interior Design.
CHRISTIAN HERTER (HERTER BROTHERS) SUNFLOWER LANTERN
When one thinks of HERTER, one instinctively thinks of elegant wood furniture. Yet Christian Herter's talents were expansive and covering every aspect of Interior Design.
In what was perhaps Herter's most elegant lighting fixture, the Sunflower Lantern was selected for the main entrance to the El Mirasol Herter family estate by his wife Mary Herter, and their son, the respected artist Albert Herter. This solid bronze lantern hung at the Herter family estate in Sanata Barbara, California from 1908 until 1969.
Entering the main Herter mansion, Christian Herter's 'Sunflower Lantern' greeted the famous Herter guests.
'Elegance and an ornate richness in design, the Christian Herter bronze Sunflower Lantern is a powerful piece of art. It is bold and perfectly proportioned in both scale and elegance, a true Herter masterwork'. (see Herter Archetype PDF)
Many Herter Brothers masterworks have often incorporated 'a distinctive Japanesque theme and extraordinary Sunflower inlays'.
Christian Herter selected the "Sunflower Motif" in much of his work including his crafted Herter Brothers furniture, wallpaper and lighting fixture designs.
Standing over six foot tall, this ornate solid bronze lighting fixture was perhaps Herter's finest -and surely the most elegant, combining Japanesque themes with the Herter's sunflower motif.
Christian Herter designed a Japanese three-claw "Tatsu" Royal Dragon as the guardian of the Lantern's inner light. Mystically, the 'Japanese Royal Dragon had ability to change sizes at will, and protect the home from all harm'. (see photos above, below, left and right)
With great craftmanship, all of Herter's bronze elements are uniquely connected from within by "bronze screws" and an innovative fastening design (see photos above). It wasn't until after 1850 that permitted the 'tooling of bronze screws'.
The upper portion features the Herter 'sunflower cluster' design, surrounded by six bronze modern Asian elephants. Uniquely hinged bronze chain links hang from the elephant tusks to the lower section, and rests upon six Asian water-buffalo.
This Herter lantern is truly museum quality artwork of exceptional quality. The Sunflower cluster motif is repeated in various sizes on each of the bronze panels. Ornate scrolls appear between the bronze panels. (see photo below)
The lower section features six bronze 'Tatsu' Royal Dragons, and six bronze water buffalos.
The Herter Sunflower motif blends well, combining unique American and Asian design themes, a truly American Decorative Arts classic as only Christian Herter could accomplish.
Herter's use of the 'mystical' Japanese dragons, the 'modern' Asian elephants, the 'traditional' Japanese-Chinese-style clouds' blends well with the Herter 'Sunflower motif', producing an harmonious work of art.
Christian Herter's Sunflower Lantern has a well-aged bronze patina of over one hundred and thirty years. 
One of it's bronze main sunflower panels is 'hinged' and opens to access the inner light.
Standing over six foot tall and weighing approximately ninety pounds, this bronze Sunflower Lantern is 'bold and perfectly proportioned in both scale and elegance, a true Herter masterwork'.
"The Sunflower lantern is an archetype to the style that Christian Herter was to develop".
Review the NEW Acrobat PDF file discussing the Sunflower Lantern, 'Herter Archetype' (PDF). This indepth article compares this lantern to others Herter designed. For rare photos -view the House of Herter movie presentation.
Learn more about Christian Herter's 'lighting fixture design', and his Sunflower bronze lantern. Select links on left menu to see additional Herter art from this estate.
Download important Acrobat PDF files below, plus WATCH MOVIE presentation of the Herter Family estate:
- 'HOUSE of HERTER ART' -watch a UPDATED movie within your browser. This 22 minute presentation documents the EL MIRASOL Herter Family Estate from 1908 until 1969, with rare and undocumented photos of Herter Art created by the Herter family. For the 'full quality' DVD, send email request.
-
HERTER LOOMS Gold Stencil Curtains, the first textiles Albert Herter created in 1908 were used for his new home in California. This is unique gold-stencil design featuring panther, winged-lion and pheasant crests.
- 'The Herter Archetype', -focusing upon Christian Herter 'lighting fixture designs', including information on the elegant Sunflower Lantern.
- The SUNFLOWER LANTERN, main entrance fixture for the EL MIRASOL Herter family estate located in Santa Barbara California, created by Christian Herter of the Herter Brothers, late 1860s.
Assist us in documenting the art from this wonderful estate.
Send information to info@fontworld.com (write HERTER in 'subject' title).
HELP TIFFANY STUDIOS RESEARCH
Select Link Above
Win a GRAND PRIZE of $18,000.00
in locating the current location of
Albert Herter's Tiffany Windows
sponsored by WinTiffany.com
This website contains photos which are copyright
and may not be reproduced without the prior written
approval by HerterArt.com -for inquires contact info@fontworld.com
(c) 2011 HerterArt.com -All Rights Reserved
If you are a Herter Art lover, then you will be pleased to learn some items from this estate are now available for purchase, including this Christian Herter SUNFLOWER LANTERN and two matching Albert Herter's HERTER LOOMS GOLD STENCILED CURTAINS.
CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE ON GOLD STENCILED CURTAINS
|
|||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
