Dutch Art Deco Amsterdam School Stained Glass Hall Lantern by Willem Bogtman

A rare, documented early 20th-century Dutch architectural lighting piece by Willem Bogtman, one of the principal glass artists of the Amsterdam School movement. Only one other example of this specific model is currently known and is recorded in the collection of Museum Het Schip (Amsterdam School Museum), owned by the Cultural Heritage Agency of the Netherlands, making this a rare surviving example. The piece was designed and produced in 1918

Originally used as a hall lantern, its modest size makes it ideal for a corridor, entryway, or smaller apartment where a larger fixture would dominate the space.

The faceted body consists of colored glass panels with kiln-fired painted decoration (gebrandschilderd, meaning the pigment is permanently fused into the glass during firing). The glass is held within a wrought iron framework, giving the lamp a clear architectural outline and strong graphic character typical of the Amsterdam School.

The stylized ornament and rhythmic geometry translate the movement’s expressive design language into light. When illuminated, the lamp produces a warm, contained glow rather than broad room lighting, ideal for hallways and entry spaces.

Willem Bogtman is well known for graphic motifs and a vivid color palette, with rhythmic linework and stylized ornament. characteristic of the period. When lit, the lamp produces a warm, contained glow rather than a diffuse flood of light, making it particularly effective in transitional spaces such as entryways and stair halls.

The lamp has been expertly rewired and ready for use.

Dimensions

Total height including suspension: 74 cm (≈ 29 1⁄8 in)

Glass height: approx. 28 cm (≈ 11 in)

Diameter: 25 cm (≈ 9 13⁄16 in)

About Willem Bogtman (1882–1955)

Willem Bogtman was a Dutch graphic designer, glass painter, monumental artist and mosaic maker closely associated with the Amsterdam School movement.

Originally trained as a coach painter, he later studied at the Rijksakademie van Beeldende Kunsten. After teaching drawing and designing ceramics for ESKAF in Steenwijk, he moved to Haarlem where he founded his own stained-glass and kiln-painted glass workshop in 1912.

His breakthrough commission was the large glass canopy of the Scheepvaarthuis in Amsterdam, after which many important commissions followed, particularly for shipping companies and luxury passenger liners. He increasingly specialized in architectural glass and lighting, and over 4,500 designs are known today. His work appears in numerous villas and major ensembles including the Scheepvaarthuis, the Rav Aron Schuster Synagogue in Amsterdam and the Remonstrant church Vrijburg.

Bogtman’s work is considered integral to the Amsterdam School because his glass designs translated the movement’s bold color contrasts and expressive geometry into architectural space.