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Six Sconces

Matthias Lock

1744

From the collection of Victoria and Albert Museum

Baroque 18th Century

Dominant colour

Six Sconces is a 1744 by Matthias Lock, a Baroque work, held at Victoria and Albert Museum.

Who painted this?: Matthias Lock
When & what style?: 1744 · Baroque
Where can I see it?: Victoria and Albert Museum

About this work

This 1744 print by Matthias Lock shows designs for decorative wall mirrors called pier glasses. It’s actually a pattern book page meant to show two mirror styles at once. Look closely: the etching uses acid to bite lines into metal, then prints them. It was a new way to sell carver designs back in 1744. Next time you’re at the Victoria and Albert Museum, check out their Lock, Matthias prints.

The story of this work

Overview

This 1744 etching by Matthias Lock is part of the pattern book *Six Sconces*, featuring a design for a pier glass with asymmetrical Rococo ornamentation. The composition includes an eagle at the top and a winged head at the bottom, both adapted from French Rococo sources, and was likely intended to be viewed in two halves via a central mirror. Lock, a London-based furniture designer and carver active from about 1710 to 1765, produced this print as part of a series intended to disseminate the style through printed pattern books.

Read the full account in the museum source.

About the artist

Artist

Matthias Lock

Lock designed decorative metalwork for wealthy London homes in the mid-1700s. His 1744 print “Six Sconces” shows ornate wall-mounted candle holders with scrolling leaves and floral tips, copied by craftsmen across…

See the richer artist page