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Attributed to the firm of I. P. Frink, New York City
Lantern, about 1883, bronze, brass, stained and painted glass.
Purchased with funds from the Decorative Arts Collectors and the Alice Speed Stoll Accessions Trust
Restored by income from the Marguerite Montgomery Baquie Memorial Trust, 2007 2004.17

When Commodore Matthew Perry opened up relations between Japan and the United States in 1854, which established a sizable trade in goods, it also had a huge influence on artists and designers. Americans were fascinated with Japanese art and design and manufacturers rushed to meet this interest with household good in this new style. Japanese motifs, real and imagined, were incorporated into all manner of objects. This lantern, with its stylized flowers and delicate creatures, is an example of the style. The painted figures are inspired by the work of the Japanese artist Katsushika Hokusai. His work was popular in the West at the time and was widely copied and adapted. While the creator of this lamp is unknown, the metalwork resembles the work of the lighting manufacturer I.P. Frink.