George Washington Maher Leaded Glass Hanging lamp

George Washington Maher Hanging lamp. Executed 1907.

Leaded glass, bronze. Custom designed for the dining room of the John Rath Residence, Chicago 92" x 32" x 32"

Provenance: John Rath Residence, Logan Square, Chicago, Illinois; Private Collection, Los Angeles, California Literature: The Inland Architect and News Record. Volume 52, September 1908: np (illustrated in situ).

Stained glass designs formed an integral part of George Washington Maher's architectural commissions. Native flowers became Maher's primary visual device and were carefully selected to represent each of his clients. Maher's approach in employing a single motif as a unifying visual emblem within an architectural scheme reached its zenith in 1912 with the design for the home of E.L. King, known as Rockledge, where the tiger lily became the project's motif.

One of the important key examples in the development of Maher's "motif-rhythm" theory can be found in the architect's design for the John Rath residence, 1907. In this instance a poppy native to the region was selected, and as well as being incorporated into the patterning for the leaded glass panes in this design, also features in the design of the leaded windows in the dining room.

George Washington Maher Leaded Glass Hanging lamp
George Washington Maher Leaded Glass Hanging lamp
George Washington Maher Leaded Glass Hanging lamp
George Washington Maher Leaded Glass Hanging lamp