Exhibit sets record straight: Tiffany lamps were designed by women
NEW YORK -- With evocative names like Wisteria, Dragonfly, Peony, Arrowhead and Peacock and their fanciful shapes of colorful leaded glass, Tiffany lamps have enchanted art lovers for more than a century.
The epitome of art nouveau, thousands of lamps were designed and handmade in the New York workshops of Louis C. Tiffany largely between 1898 and 1909 from the iridescent opaque glass he patented.
But despite his sterling label, Tiffany had only a minor role in these masterpieces. He left the designs and handcrafting to his "Tiffany Girls," some 50 artisans who did the creative work and got none of the glory.
"A New Light on Tiffany," which opened Friday at the New-York Historical Society, sets the record straight for the first time. The one-time exhibit through May 28 illustrates the women's artisanship in splendid displays of 51 Tiffany lamps largely from the museum's own collection.
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The epitome of art nouveau, thousands of lamps were designed and handmade in the New York workshops of Louis C. Tiffany largely between 1898 and 1909 from the iridescent opaque glass he patented.
But despite his sterling label, Tiffany had only a minor role in these masterpieces. He left the designs and handcrafting to his "Tiffany Girls," some 50 artisans who did the creative work and got none of the glory.
"A New Light on Tiffany," which opened Friday at the New-York Historical Society, sets the record straight for the first time. The one-time exhibit through May 28 illustrates the women's artisanship in splendid displays of 51 Tiffany lamps largely from the museum's own collection.