Our ancestors’ artificial lighting remained somewhat rudimentary for a long time. The development of interior lighting was very slow. The developments in lighting reflect the technical progress and ways of life in each epoch and style. From prehistory to the twentieth century, the lighting method used in daily life has highlighted man’s progress in the art of lighting.
Over the various periods, the lighting methods have marked the history of humanity: the discovery of fire during prehistory, oil lamps in antiquity, tallow candles in the Middle Ages, and beeswax candles in the nineteenth century. The lighting attests to the developments in the decorative arts, which give the various forms a unique and sought-after character as invaluable masterpieces.