Sanctuary Lamp
Lisbon
Sanctuary Lamp, 1740s
Gold
27 × 10 13/16 × 9 13/16 in. (68.5 × 27.5 × 25 cm)
Terra Sancta Museum, Jerusalem
© The Frick Collection
Commissioned by King John V of Portugal, this gold lamp did not reach Jerusalem until September 1752, after the king’s death. It was part of a group of gifts from his successor, Joseph I (r. 1750–77). This is a rare survival of Portuguese goldsmith work from the time. Many pieces were destroyed in the famous earthquake that devastated Lisbon in 1755.
