Secrets of Tiffany Glassmaking

04/09/2012 > 04/09/2020

Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933) began his work in glass with the same tools and ingredients that had been used by artisans for thousands of years before him. Tiffany took the science of glassmaking, however, and elevated it to an art form of new brilliance and beauty. Under his watch, teams of talented designers and craftspeople translated Tiffany’s all-encompassing vision into some of the most memorable glass creations of our time. Tiffany’s studio system was not a simple enterprise; he needed specialized employees—a hierarchy of artists and artisans—to accomplish his goals. This exhibition, updated and reinstalled on September 4, 2012, addresses the processes that Tiffany’s many companies used to produce everything from glass mosaics and molded buttons to leaded-glass lamps and windows.

More information