A Russian gothic revival gilt-bronze 'omrakl' or miracle lamp after a design by Guérin, St. Petersburg circa 1830

with an associated rectangular watercolour shade depicting the Admiralty in St. Petersburg, within a leaf cast border above two candle-nozzles on a circular base, the whole cast with Gothic tracery

Colour less greenish overall and much more attractive than in the catalogue photograph. Glass replaced on shade. Very minor tarnishing to gilt-bronze as visible from photograph which can easily be cleaned. An unusual piece in overall good condition. A rare example of the Gothic revival taste in Russia.
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Comparative Literature:
Arcadi Gaydamak, Russian Empire, Moscow, 2000, p. 15
Igor Sychev, Russian Bronze, Moscow, 2003, p. 127 and 128.
I. Sychev. Russkie svetil'niki epokhi klassitsizma. 1760-1830. St. Petersburg, R.V.B.R., 2003. p.173-176.

This charming lamp is called an `omrakl' in Russian and from the end of the 18th century and beginning of the 19th century, they were known as `miracle' lamps because of the effect produced when lit.  Instead of a shade they had a semi-transparent screen which had a watercolour sketch enclosed on both sides by mica. When the candle was lit the screen glowed and the image was brought to life as in a `magic lantern'.  Watercolour scenes depicted landscapes or views of Russian cities which were often naively painted by amateurs but professional painters also decorated them. They were a compulsory accessory for most  Russian drawing rooms throughout the 19th century. Whilst several examples exist in the Empire style, it is rare to find later examples in the Gothic revival style as the present lamp.

Gaydamak, op. cit., p. 15, illustrates a coloured lithograph by Ferdinand Perrot, c. 1840, depicting a view of The Admiralty, Admiralty Square, St. Petersburg, circa 1805-1823, which is represented on this screen, and reproduced here in fig.1. 

Lighting in neo-Gothic style such as lamps, chandeliers and candelabra began to be fashionable in Russia from the late 1820's and were first exhibited at the Exhibition of Russian Manufacture in St. Petersburg in 1829 and in that catalogue the only objects in this Gothic style would appear to be those made by Alexander Guérin.

A related miracle lamp with similar decorative motifs can be found in the collection of the State Hermitage Museum, which is also attributed to A. Guérin reproduced here in fig. 2. The Hermitage example exhibits many similarities with the lamp offered here, for example, the assembly of the base in the shape of a rosette with a jagged toothed border, the delicate gothic rosette surmounting the screen–all of these attributes are similar to the lamp offered here.
The lamp also shares decorative elements with another miracle  lamp attributed to A. Guérin belonging to a private collection in St. Petersburg (published in Zvezda Renessansa. Antikvarni salon Renaissance VIP. No1. 2006. p.82-83) reproduced here in fig. 3.

Alexander Guérin was a master bronzesmith, born in France and  began producing works in gilt-bronze in St. Petersburg at the beginning of the 1810's. At the beginning, he collaborated with Pierre Guéudet, but from the end of the 1820's he owned his own independent studio, situated on Bolshoi Morskoi street in Lemke House. The St. Peterburg bronzesmiths made use of the opportunity of copying imported French bronzes and one of these was Alexander Guérin, who mass-produced copies of the works of the most fashionable Parisian bronziers of the period such as Thomire. He was influenced by the bronze factory owner Jules Chopin who provided him with equipment from Paris and the latest drawings and models. He was one of the most famous bronzesmiths in St. Petersburg and worked on the architectural projects of K.I. Rossi and O. Monferran furnishing the royal residences. His works can be found in many museum collections, amongst them those of the State Hermitage Museum, the Peterhof and Tsarskoeselo Palace-museums and the Pavlovsk Palace. He retired in 1840.

We are indebted to I.O. Sychev, principal researcher and curator of the Russian Bronzes and Objects at the State Hermitage Museum, St.Petersburg, for his contribution to the above footnote. His written opinion is available from the department upon request.