Candlestick Base

This object is the lower part of a wooden pricket candlestick, comprising a base, a shaft, and a node that supported the upper part with a candle socket. The compositional design of the candlestick is based on the principle of a massive carved base and a tapered shaft decorated with turned elements. The tripod support has a three-sided contour that ensures stability. Above it rises a four-sided pedestal tapering upwards. A ring-shaped rim separates the lower part from the upper section, followed by a vase-shaped baluster. The most distinctive decorative elements are located on the edges and surfaces of the base. On the edges above the base, there are carvings resembling flattened volutes. The surfaces between the edges are decorated with letters inside almond-shaped medallions. The carving is sharp and laconic. The candlestick is made from a single piece of wood, with the profiled parts carved using a chisel. The original polychromy is preserved fragmentarily, dominated by a rich red-brown tone with hints of gold. The candlestick is valuable as an example of Ukrainian folk Baroque in decorative arts. It combines a distinct architectonic structure, restrained carved decoration, and a refined colour palette. The candlestick demonstrates that even utilitarian church utensils possessed a well-conceived artistic image.

Borys Voznytskyi Lviv National Art Gallery