Arts & Culture

Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) was a painter, designer and businessman. Building on his father's business, he revolutionized the manufacture of glass with his creating of Favrile glass, an iridescent type of glass. He founded his own company, Tiffany Studios, and produced a line of glass objects for interior decoration, including mosaics, glass windows and decorative objects.  He is best known for his lamps.

Of the many books on Tiffany in the library system, these caught my eye.

In The Lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany, this quotation stands out.  "When first I had a chance to travel in the East and to paint where the people and buildings also are clad in beautiful hues, the prememinence of color in the world was brought forcibly to my attention.  I returned to New York wondering why we made so little use of our eyes, why we refrained so obstinately from taking advantage of colour in our architecture and our clothing when nature indicates its mastership."

Tiffany's country estate, Laurelton Hall, at Oyster Bay, Long Island, New York, was a showcase of his work.  The extensive gardens there inspired many of his designs.  

                     
The decorative remains of Laurelton Hall form part of the collection of Tiffany's work at the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art in Winter Park, Florida.  Visit their website for an introduction to the many facets of his contribution to the decorative arts.

An artist whose work has provided beautiful objects for many cultural institutes and people's homes.