The Lamps of God

1922

Winsor McCay

Associated Names
Winsor McCay

Artist, American, 1869(?) - 1934

This is a drawing of various scenes featuring light and shadow. The top left panel shows a lighthouse with radiating light lines. To the right, there is a large sphere resembling the Earth with radiating light lines in the background. The right-most section depicts the facade of a classical building, with light casting shadows. The lower strip of panels shows a figure walking towards a radiant spot, a person reading under a lamp, a room with a bed illuminated by a light source, and a figure in a room with light coming through barred openings. The composition uses radiating lines to depict light and shade, connecting the scenes.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and black ink over graphite on paperboard

  • Credit Line

    Gift of the Moniz Family

  • Dimensions

    image: 26.99 x 70.17 cm (10 5/8 x 27 5/8 in.)
    sheet: 29.53 x 31.75 cm (11 5/8 x 12 1/2 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2008.128.4

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

by descent to Ray Winsor Moniz (grandson of the artist); by descent to Margaret Ann Moniz and Ann Winsor Moniz, Highland Falls, NY; gift to NGA, 2008

Associated Names

Inscriptions

lower right in pen and black and ink: Winsor / McCay; lower margin in red colored pencil: 16 1/2" wide; in graphite: 8 cols [scratched out in red colored pencil] rush [underlined] Blue print to A.B. by noon-; left verso in blue colored pencil: Editorial / 4/9/22

Markings

verso: partial remains of two stickers

Wikidata ID

Q64640531

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