Lady Liberty Figural Torch Lamp
Fonderies de Tusey, Vaucouleurs (Meuse), France
c. 1890
Patinated cast iron
58 × 16 × 12 in.
Stamped: Fonderies de Tusey / L. Gasne
This monumental figural lamp portrays Lady Liberty in classical robes, crowned with six stars and striding forward with determination. One hand gathers her drapery while the other lifts a torch with an etched, flame-shaped glass shade—symbolizing enlightenment and freedom.
The work was cast by the Fonderies de Tusey, operated at the time by Louis Gasne, maître de forges from 1874 to 1896. Under his direction, the foundry earned a gold medal at the 1889 Exposition Universelle and became known for its exceptional ironwork using both sand casting and lost-wax techniques. Though the sculptor remains unidentified, the scale and artistry of this lamp reflect the industrial and aesthetic ambitions of turn-of-the-century France.
