’s life and art

WINTER PARK, FLORIDA 1879–1887: The Artist Louis Comfort Tiffany today is most famous for his vastly in His Thirties popular creations in , and yet his artistic vision left few Tiffany’s home in the Bella Apartment mediums untouched. Tiffany was a painter, a decorator, an House was an early architect, a photographer, and a designer of pottery, furniture, showcase for his talent, and it suggested to enamels, and jewelry in addition to glass lamps, windows, mosaics, him the market for a and vases. Nature was his muse, color his obsession, and exotic fresh type of . Using family culture his bottomless well of influence. The teams of talented connections and designers and craftspeople under Tiffany’s watch translated his all- financial backing and partnerships with encompassing vision into some of the most beautiful objects of established artists and his and our own time. Late in his life, Tiffany elegantly summed designers, he was able to make a smooth Wisteria and Magnolia leaded-glass bay window in library at up his long and prolific career as a “Quest of Beauty.” transition from artist Tiffany family residence, 27 East Seventy-Second Street, City. to interior designer. Photo from Arts and Decoration, 1911. While many wealthy 1848–1878: Birth to Age Thirty time Tiffany spent painting Americans were looking to European Home Journal (November 1900) some Tiffany was born in 1848 only deepened his interest historical models for taste and years later would call it, “The Most shortly after his father, Charles in color and light, leading decoration, Tiffany provided a unique, Artistic House in .” In 2 3 Tiffany, founded a modest him inevitably perhaps to artistic approach to interiors. Louis this personal project, he developed a venture in New York that the consideration of glass C. Tiffany & Co., Associated Artists highly imaginative vision that mixed grew to become the most as a medium. As early as (1881–83), the most widely recognized and mingled historical and exotic prestigious silver and jewelry age twenty-four, he was of his ventures, decorated the most sources, creating a coherent, artfully company in America— studying the chemistry and respected homes, private clubs, theaters, blended interior. The decorations in Tiffany & Co. Demonstrating techniques of glassmaking. and civic buildings of the day. With Tiffany’s apartment included such early artistic promise, Tiffany Detail, Arab Facing In 1872, Tiffany married Right, c. 1873. commissions such as President Chester splendid elements as the Magnolia as a teenager won an award Gouache on fiber paper Mary (May) Woodbridge A. Arthur’s and Mark leaded-glass bay window and hand- for proficiency in drawing (55-028). Goddard. Together and with Twain’s home in Connecticut, Tiffany carved teak doors from India, both at his boarding school. The friends, Tiffany and May and his associates quickly became now in the Morse collection, as well young Tiffany went on to study art in traveled in Europe and North Africa. tastemakers in America. the innovative application of Japanese Paris, and teachers there helped seed an Tiffany’s new home for his young These interiors included windows, tsuba (sword guards) as ornamentation. enduring fascination with the art and family at the Bella Apartment House lamps, and lighting, and motivated him Tiffany made trips to St. Augustine, design of Eastern and Islamic countries. in New York City was also the first to apply for patents in his opalescent Florida, during this time hoping to Settling into adulthood, Tiffany residence in which he practiced the glassmaking techniques, which improve his wife’s ailing health. Here found success as an artist. Named at fusion of Eastern and Western styles produced an unprecedented range of he continued his quest of beauty, age twenty-three as an associate of that would become the hallmark of his hues and three-dimensional effects in a turning to the relatively modern the National Academy of Design, he interior designs. Tiffany’s penthouse single piece of glass. invention of portable photography. became a well-known and respected suite was an amalgamation of Oriental In 1882, Tiffany began work on a From his many fine photographic Orientalist painter of North African fantasy and nationalistic sobriety that fifty-seven room home on Seventy- studies of St. Augustine, he later and Middle Eastern scenes, exhibiting brought together disparate elements Second Street in New York City for executed paintings. May tragically often in New York and abroad. The into a grand, unified environment. the extended Tiffany family. Ladies’ succumbed to her illness in 1884.

Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art In 1885, Tiffany opened the Tiffany Left: Hanging globe, c. 1905. Reception hall, , Glass Company. He continued to , New York, blown glass design interiors and also increased with gilt-bronze collar (2003-021). Left: Tiffany Chapel, production of the individual objects 1893. Reassembled at with which he adorned those rooms. Morse Museum, 1999. In 1886, Tiffany married Louise 1,082 square feet, including baptistery. Wakeman Knox.

1888–1900: The Artist in His Forties Around 1890, Tiffany constructed a country home on the north shore Below: Spring panel from of Long Island for Louise and their Four Seasons window, 1899–1900. Leaded glass (57-018). growing family. The Briars, as they called it, became a testing ground for the interior and landscape design ideas that would come to full fruition some years later at an even grander estate he would build nearby. Artistically, however, this decade in Tiffany’s life was dominated by two projects considered among the most important of his career: between 1890 5 4 and 1893 he decorated the home of prominent New Yorkers Louisine and Left: Vase, c. 1910. Henry Havemeyer and created the Calla lily, blown glass Byzantine-Romanesque chapel inte- (2003-023). rior for the 1893 World’s Columbian Exposition in . expand Tiffany’s reputation interna- most remembered by subsequent the firm’s expanding lines now included After a bankruptcy in 1892, Tiffany tionally. Tiffany publicly debuted his generations. Tiffany Studios succeeded jewelry, enamels, and fine metalwork, reorganized his business as the Tiffany first leaded-glass lamps at an 1899 in turning art into a business of objects that were sold through and later Glass and Decorating Company, mark- exhibition of his works produced by awesome proportion, producing produced at Tiffany & Co. ing the beginning of a highly success- Bing at Grafton Galleries in London. objects desired by both the wealthy Also in 1902, Tiffany began ful strategy for marketing and selling The 1900 Exposition Universelle in and members of the rapidly developing construction of Laurelton Hall, a vast his designs to a broader audience. He Paris is generally regarded as a high middle class. Around this time he country estate on Long Island. On developed, exhibited, and sold indi- point of Tiffany’s career. He won a began experimenting with art pottery, the 580-acre site, Tiffany erected an vidual blown-glass vases, leaded-glass grand prize at the exposition where he the development of glazes garnering eighty-four room, eight-level house, windows, and lamps. unveiled his Four Seasons leaded-glass most of his attention. He unveiled built conservatories and stables among The German-French art dealer window and was named a Chevalier of several examples at the 1904 Louisiana other structures, and laid out sixty acres (1838–1905), whose the Legion of Honor. Purchase International Exposition. of carefully planned gardens. Tiffany Paris shop L’ provided Tiffany’s father died in 1902, leaving designed every aspect of the estate. He the name to the international decora- 1901–1915: Age Fifty-Three to Sixty-Seven him a fortune of about three million decorated the interior with objects tive art style, was among the first to In 1902, Tiffany incorporated dollars. Louis became art director at collected from around the world see Tiffany’s art glass. As Tiffany’s sole his growing company as Tiffany Tiffany & Co., and though Tiffany as well as with his own creations, representative in Europe, Bing helped Studios—the name that would be Studios would always operate separately, ncluding furniture, rugs, lighting

Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art Dining room at Laurelton Hall. Louis Comfort Tiffany Chronology Photo from Parke-Bernet auction catalogue for contents of Laurelton Hall, 1946. 1848: February 18 Louis Comfort 1881–85: Collaborates with architect Tiffany born in New York City. (1853–1906) on a house for extended Tiffany family in New 1871: May Elected Associate of York City at Seventy-Second Street and National Academy of Design. . Charles Tiffany never moves in, but Louis and family live in 1872: May 15 Marries Mary (May) apartment on the top level. Woodbridge Goddard (1846– 84) in Norwich, Connecticut. 1882: October Commissioned View of Laurelton Hall, by President Chester A. Arthur Long Island, New York. 1878: June 18 Forms Louis C. (1829–86) to decorate the From American Magazine of Art, Tiffany & Company. , , a November 1919. corridor, and the State Dining 1879: May–April 1881 Room of the White House. fixtures, windows, enamels, desk sets, Tiffany Foundation there. The estate Decorates home art glass, and pottery. Sadly, Tiffany’s became a study center for young art- of New York pharmaceutical 1884: January 22 First wife, Louis Comfort second wife died in 1904 before her ists, who were called “fellows,” and a and chemical manufacturer Tiffany May, dies of tuberculosis. husband’s project was completed. museum for Tiffany’s collections and George Kemp. (1848-1933). 1885: December 1 Incorporates 6 Charles de Kay’s authorized personal works. Tiffany died January 7 biography of Tiffany was published in 17, 1933, at his Seventy-Second Street 1880: By April 21 Organizes the Company. 1914 at the summit of his career. With residence only months after Tiffany decorating business Tiffany & Wheeler this first step, Tiffany began to move his Studios filed for bankruptcy. In the in New York City with artist Candace 1886: November 9 Marries Louise Wake- focus from building his business empire mid-1940s, finances drove the Tiffany Wheeler (1827–1923). man Knox (1851–1904) of Philadelphia. toward establishing his legacy. foundation to move to New York City and sell Tiffany’s prized collec- By October 1 Organizes Tiffany & de 1889: Tiffany Glass Company adds 1916–1933: Age Sixty-Eight to His Death tions from Laurelton Hall as well as its Forest Decorators with Lockwood ecclesiastical department. The beginning of World War I as well buildings and property. A devastating de Forest (1850–1932) to import as the 1913 New York Armory show fire finally gutted the house in 1957. exotic woodwork; dissolved 1890–92: Redecorates home of promi- of modern painting and sculpture With the physical destruction November 29, 1882. nent New York art collector and sugar foretold the end of Tiffany’s reign as of Laurelton Hall, it seemed that refinery magnate Henry Osbourne an international design master. In 1916, Tiffany’s quest had met its real end. 1881: May 8 Elected Academician of Havemeyer. Tiffany himself began reflecting on his Fortunately, however, Hugh McKean the National Academy of Art. life’s achievements and philosophy. His and his wife, Jeannette—who built 1892: February Incorporates Tiffany sixty-eighth birthday party at Tiffany the collections at the Morse—along June 9–15 Tiffany & Wheeler absorbed Glass and Decorating Company Studios was a themed event called with a number of former employees, into the firm Louis C. Tiffany & Co., (TGDco). the “Quest of Beauty.” The next year Tiffany foundation fellows, collectors, Associated Artists (1881–83). he published articles on this quest in and scholars, have made it possible to 1893: April Separates glass production International Studio and Harper’s Bazaar. experience Tiffany’s quest of beauty 1881–83: Commissioned to decorate facility in Corona (Queens, New York Upon his retirement in 1918, Tiffany through documents, photographs, residence, Hartford, City) from TGDco, calling it Stour- set out to give Laurelton Hall to the and most especially, through the Connecticut. bridge Glass Company. world by establishing the Louis Comfort magnificent artwork that remains.

Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art Louis Comfort Tiffany’s Life and Art 1893: May 1–October 30 World’s Colum- 1902–5: Builds Laurelton Hall on Cold bian Exposition, Chicago. Exhibits chapel Spring Harbor, Long Island. interior. Awarded fifty-four medals. 1904: May 9 Second wife, Louise, 1895: December 26 Inaugural exhibition dies of cancer. at L’Art Nouveau, the Paris gallery of Siegfried Bing (1838–1905), with ten April 30 –December 1 Louisiana windows and twenty-one pieces of Purchase Exposition, St. Louis. Debuts “Favrile” blown glass. art jewelry and pottery.

1899: May–July S. Bing exhibition 1914: The Art Work of Louis C. Tiffany of Tiffany’s works at Grafton Galleries, by Charles de Kay (1848–1935) is London. Debut of Tiffany leaded-glass published. lampshades. 1916: February 19 Holds a breakfast 1900: April 14–November 12 Exposition and masque at Tiffany Studios entitled Universelle, Paris. Exhibits blown glass, The Quest of Beauty to celebrate his windows—including Four Seasons— sixty-eighth birthday and to show a lamps, mosaics, and, for first time, enamels. retrospective exhibition of his works. Wins twenty-four awards and the grand prize for applied arts. Awarded Chevalier 1918: July 30 Creates Louis Comfort of the Legion of Honor. Tiffany Foundation at Laurelton Hall 8 to support artists and maintain the 1901: May 1–November 1 Pan-American estate as a museum for his collections. Exposition, Buffalo, New York. Designs central fountain for the inner court 1932: April 16 Tiffany Studios files for of the Manufactures and Liberal Arts bankruptcy. Building. Wins a grand prize for enamels. 1933: January 17 At age eighty-four, 1902: February 18 Charles Lewis Tiffany Louis Comfort Tiffany dies at his (b. 1812) dies of pneumonia. Seventy-Second Street home.

February 25 Incorporates Tiffany Studios.

September 29 Opens Tiffany Furnaces On the Cover: Detail, Magnolia panel, c. 1885. Library, Tiffany family residence, Seventy-Second Inc., in Corona, a reorganization of Street, New York City, and Laurelton Hall, Long Stourbridge Glass Company. Island, New York, leaded glass (58-013).

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