"This illustrated book showcases more than 100 Hanukkah lamps selected from the extensive collection of The Jewish Museum in New York." "The featured lamps date from the Renaissance to our own time and come from virtually every part of the world, including the Americas, Europe, Asia, the Middle East, and North Africa. The materials from which the lamps are crafted differ widely as well - silver, brass, bronze, pottery, glass, and wood." "Luminous Art offers an introduction to the history and craft of masterpieces of Jewish ceremonial art. Susan L. Braunstein provides an overview of the Hanukkah lamp, examining it from many angles and discussing its origins in Jewish tradition, its many innovative forms, its enduring ritual uses, and its social context. She also includes an informative short essay about each of the varied lamps pictured in the book."--BOOK JACKET.