A lamp such as this might have lit homes during
the early flowering of Islam. A metaphor of joy
and prosperity, for hope, for life itself, lamps
have illuminated the path of civilization for
centuries. They have guided great thoughts
through the night, stood vigil with lonely
passions. In the presence of this simple object,
we are in touch directly with a vanished world,
with the people once warmed by its glow. Today
it remains as an enduring symbol of man's desire
to conquer the darkness.A lamp such as this
might have lit homes during the flower of the
Classical age. A metaphor of joy and prosperity,
for hope, for life itself, lamps have illuminated
the path of civilization for centuries. They have
guided great thoughts through the night, stood
vigil with lonely passions. In the presence of this
simple object, we are in touch directly with a
vanished world, with the people once warmed by
its glow. Today it remains as an enduring symbol
of man's desire to conquer the darkness.
- (L.1880)
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