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The peacock, with its brilliantly colored iridescent plumage, was a favorite motif of Louis Comfort Tiffany, appearing in almost every genre of his artistic production. The Peacock table lamp, created by Tiffany's chief lamp designer Clara Wolcott Driscoll, evokes the wide circular swath of a peacock's preening feathers and attracted critical acclaim to both Driscoll and Tiffany Studios. This particular version retains its original kerosene burning fluid apparatus as well as an electric bulb armature. Although incandescent lamp bulbs had become more widely available in the 1890s, most households, even those of the wealthy, were not yet wired for electricity. Tiffany originally designed his lamps with an oil-burning apparatus, consisting of a reservoir and a double wick and chimney, as well as an electric attachment. He cleverly predicted, though, that electric households would eventually become commonplace, so he soon moved to all-electric designs, greatly increasing the illumination and appeal of his lamps.

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Page
1
Source index
0
Type
photo
Media ID
442fcbfe4eef0be3
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Document data

ID
93149
Core
obj
Type
object
DTO data
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    "id": "93149",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Peacock Table Lamp",
    "description": "The peacock, with its brilliantly colored iridescent plumage, was a favorite motif of Louis Comfort Tiffany, appearing in almost every genre of his artistic production. The Peacock table lamp, created by Tiffany's chief lamp designer Clara Wolcott Driscoll, evokes the wide circular swath of a peacock's preening feathers and attracted critical acclaim to both Driscoll and Tiffany Studios. This particular version retains its original kerosene burning fluid apparatus as well as an electric bulb armature. Although incandescent lamp bulbs had become more widely available in the 1890s, most households, even those of the wealthy, were not yet wired for electricity. Tiffany originally designed his lamps with an oil-burning apparatus, consisting of a reservoir and a double wick and chimney, as well as an electric attachment. He cleverly predicted, though, that electric households would eventually become commonplace, so he soon moved to all-electric designs, greatly increasing the illumination and appeal of his lamps.",
    "date": "c. 1902",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2018.281",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
        "Q79874442"
    ],
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        356976,
        292194
    ],
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        "Lamp"
    ],
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    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 48 cm (18 7/8 in.); Overall: 65 cm (25 9/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "America, New York"
    ],
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}

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Document identity
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    "localId": "93149",
    "label": "Peacock Table Lamp",
    "core": "obj",
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}
Document source metadata
{
    "id": "93149",
    "contentType": "object",
    "title": "Peacock Table Lamp",
    "description": "The peacock, with its brilliantly colored iridescent plumage, was a favorite motif of Louis Comfort Tiffany, appearing in almost every genre of his artistic production. The Peacock table lamp, created by Tiffany's chief lamp designer Clara Wolcott Driscoll, evokes the wide circular swath of a peacock's preening feathers and attracted critical acclaim to both Driscoll and Tiffany Studios. This particular version retains its original kerosene burning fluid apparatus as well as an electric bulb armature. Although incandescent lamp bulbs had become more widely available in the 1890s, most households, even those of the wealthy, were not yet wired for electricity. Tiffany originally designed his lamps with an oil-burning apparatus, consisting of a reservoir and a double wick and chimney, as well as an electric attachment. He cleverly predicted, though, that electric households would eventually become commonplace, so he soon moved to all-electric designs, greatly increasing the illumination and appeal of his lamps.",
    "date": "c. 1902",
    "citation": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2018.281",
    "rights": "CC0",
    "rightsUri": "CC0",
    "language": "en",
    "wikidata": [
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        292194
    ],
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    "largeImageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2018.281/2018.281_web.jpg",
    "imageCount": 1,
    "source": "import",
    "dimensionsRaw": "Diameter: 48 cm (18 7/8 in.); Overall: 65 cm (25 9/16 in.)",
    "cul": [
        "America, New York"
    ],
    "accession": "2018.281"
}
Document source extras
{
    "tec": "Leaded glass, bronze",
    "tombstone": "Peacock Table Lamp, c. 1902. Probably by Clara Wolcott Driscoll (American, 1861–1944), Tiffany Studios (United States, New York, 1902–32). Leaded glass, bronze; diameter: 48 cm (18 7/8 in.); overall: 65 cm (25 9/16 in.). The Cleveland Museum of Art, Bequest of Charles Maurer, 2018.281",
    "collection": "Decorative Arts",
    "didYouKnow": "Originally designed to burn kerosene, this Peacock lamp still retains its original double wick and oil reservoir along with an adapter for electric light bulbs.",
    "citations": [
        {
            "citation": "Harrison, Stephen, Emmanuel Ducamp, and Jeannine J. Falino.<em> Artistic Luxury: Fabergé Tiffany Lalique</em>. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in association with, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced: Pg. 290; Discussed: Pg. 291; Mentioned: Pg. 340 (Cat. No. 292)"
        },
        {
            "citation": "Harrison, Stephen. “Acquisitions 2018: Decorative Art and Design.” <em>Cleveland Art: Cleveland Museum of Art Members Magazine </em>59, no. 2 (March/April 2019): 10-12.",
            "page_number": "Reproduced and Mentioned: P. 11."
        },
        {
            "citation": "\"King Louis\". <em>Antique Collecting </em>58, no. 7 (December/January 2023-24): 36-40.",
            "page_number": "Mentioned and reproduced: p. 39"
        }
    ],
    "url": "https://clevelandart.org/art/2018.281",
    "creditline": "Bequest of Charles Maurer",
    "sketchfabId": "a24bcb6b7a2e448fad661004f403ae12",
    "sketchfabUrl": "https://sketchfab.com/models/a24bcb6b7a2e448fad661004f403ae12",
    "updatedAt": "2026-06-18 21:15:50.448000",
    "imageUrl": "https://openaccess-cdn.clevelandart.org/2018.281/2018.281_print.jpg",
    "sourceId": 93149,
    "dept": "Decorative Art and Design",
    "coll": "Decorative Arts",
    "med": "Leaded glass, bronze",
    "creatorTags": [
        "female",
        "Cleveland Institute of Art (alumni)",
        "gender unknown"
    ],
    "thumbnail_url": null,
    "image_url": null
}
Page context
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