CANVASES, CARATS AND CURIOSITIES

"Beauty is what nature has lavished upon us as a supreme gift." —Louis Comfort Tiffany

The Tiffany name stands as one of America’s most distinguished artistic legacies. It is synonymous with excellence and innovation across almost every medium—from sparkling jewels and gleaming silver to luminous glass and monumental windows. This exhibition explores how two founding visionaries—Charles Lewis Tiffany and his son, Louis Comfort Tiffany—built the most iconic artistic empire in American history.

Charles Lewis Tiffany (1812–1902) transformed a modest New York stationery shop into America’s preeminent luxury house, establishing Tiffany & Co. as a symbol of supreme craftsmanship and design. His son, Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933), inherited this spirit of innovation and forged his own path, becoming one of the most important artists of his era. A painter, designer and craftsman, the multi-talented Louis revolutionized the art of glassmaking and elevated it to unprecedented levels of high art.

Treasures of Tiffany presents a series of environments that immerse you in the breadth of Tiffany genius. Step into a glittering showroom of Tiffany & Co. jewelry, the glowing world of Tiffany Studios glass, the incredible homes and personal collections of Louis Comfort Tiffany and the stately realm of Tiffany & Co. silver. Each space celebrates the rare masterpieces and timeless beauty of all things Tiffany.

Tiffany Jewelry

Few images capture Tiffany & Co.’s allure more vividly than Audrey Hepburn gazing into its Fifth Avenue windows in Breakfast at Tiffany’s—a scene that secured the jeweler’s place in popular imagination. For generations, Tiffany jewels have adorned celebrities, socialites and royalty worldwide, setting the standard of elegance and glamour.

This reputation was carefully cultivated from Tiffany’s earliest years. In the 1840s, Charles Tiffany began importing rare gemstones for his American clientele, a bold strategy in a market dominated by European ateliers. Tiffany was soon hailed as the “King of Diamonds” for his legendary acquisitions, including the extraordinary 128.54-carat Tiffany Diamond in 1878 and the French Crown Jewels in 1887. In 1886, the revolutionary “Tiffany Setting” redefined the engagement ring forever. 

In 1902, following Charles’ death, Louis Comfort Tiffany became the firm’s first artistic director, bringing his Art Nouveau aesthetic to jewelry design. This legacy of artistic innovation at Tiffany & Co. flourished through the 20th century under visionary designers including Jean Schlumberger, Paloma Picasso and Angela Cummings.

Tiffany Clocks

Clockmaking at Tiffany & Co. represents a vital chapter in the company’s history. As ordinary timepieces became widely available in the 19th century, Tiffany distinguished itself by producing horological marvels that united mechanical precision with unparalleled artistry. From monumental public clocks to the “Tiffany Timer”—America’s first stopwatch—Tiffany’s clocks and watches elevated timekeeping to new heights.

An extraordinary monument to Tiffany’s genius, this 8-foot-high bronze and glass mystery clock is marvelous in so many ways. From its statuesque sculptural beauty to its mesmerizing golden pendulum, this clock appears to function magically. Inspired by the illusions of the great Jean-Eugène Robert-Houdin, Tiffany’s engineers devised a brilliant mechanism that does not simply hide the connection between the clock’s movement and its hands—it completely eliminates it. This singular achievement had never been attempted before and has not been repeated since, making this clock a crowning masterpiece of Tiffany’s golden age.

Tiffany Glass

The eldest son of Charles, Louis Comfort Tiffany was inspired by the success of his father, yet forged his own artistic path that would transform American decorative arts. Trained first as a painter, Louis’ travels as a young artist would inspire a lifelong fascination with luminosity, color and pattern—the hallmarks of his genius.

Tiffany Studios Ruffled Rim Floriform Glass Vase. Circa 1900. M.S. Rau. 

Captivated by glass and its ability to “paint with light,” Tiffany established one of America’s first art glass workshops in 1878, the precursor to Tiffany Studios. It was his invention of “Favrile” glass in 1894—the nation’s first patented iridescent glass—that changed the course of history. Named for the Old English word for “handmade,” this innovation became Tiffany’s signature, transforming everyday objects—lamps, windows, vases and everything in between—into radiant works of art.

Deeply inspired by the natural world, Tiffany captured the universal beauty of flowers, landscapes and organic forms perfectly in glass. Tiffany Studios set the standard for Art Nouveau design, earning international acclaim at the World’s Fairs and prestigious commissions from illustrious patrons such as Cornelius Vanderbilt II and President Chester Arthur. As its visionary leader, Louis Comfort Tiffany emerged as one of his era’s foremost artists whose singular creations still resonate today.

Artisans in Tiffany Studios Lamp Department, c. 1898. Source.

Tiffany Girls

At the heart of Tiffany Studios was a remarkable team of artisans who translated Louis Comfort Tiffany’s vision into luminous works of art. Chief among them was the Women’s Glass Cutting Department, known as the “Tiffany Girls.” These women not only selected and cut the vibrant pieces of glass that gave Tiffany windows and lamps their signature radiance, but some of them were also responsible for Tiffany’s most famous lamp and window designs.

Tiffany Studios Poppy Lamp. Circa 1910. M.S. Rau.

Clara Driscoll (1861–1944) joined Tiffany’s workshop in the 1880s. She was appointed head of the Tiffany Girls in 1892, and just two years later, her department had grown from six to thirty-five women. By 1904, Driscoll had won medals at international expositions for her original designs for Tiffany—including the Poppy (displayed here), Wisteria and Dragonfly lamps—and was one of the highest-paid women in America.

The significance of Driscoll and her fellow designers, like Agnes Northrop, only came fully to light in 2005, when a cache of Driscoll’s letters to friends and family was uncovered. This discovery helped shed light on the inner workings of Tiffany Studios, underscoring that its genius was as collaborative as it was visionary.

Tiffany Windows

Louis Comfort Tiffany revolutionized the art of stained-glass windows, combining technical innovations with a painterly vision of nature that had never been seen before in this traditional medium. With new textures, layers of color and bucolic subjects, Tiffany’s windows became international sensations, adorning the important churches and lavish residences of the Gilded Age elite. Widely considered the masterpieces of his oeuvre, Tiffany’s windows are the fullest expression of his artistic genius—uniting invention, craftsmanship and the poetry of light.

The fame of Tiffany’s windows was as far-reaching as Hawaii, when in 1899, sugar magnate James Bicknell Castle commissioned a monumental window for the grand staircase of his opulent, four-story mansion on Waikiki Beach, Kainalu. Designed with its magnificent oceanside locale in mind, the window’s mermaid theme is a jewel-toned symphony that perfectly captures the tropical paradise’s magical beauty. As one of Hawaii’s “Big Five,” Castle filled his estate with the finest art in the world, and his Tiffany window was the only privately commissioned one in Hawaii’s history.

Living Like Louis

Before Louis Comfort Tiffany became America’s most accomplished glass artist, painting was his first passion. In the 1860s, he traveled extensively through Europe, North Africa and the Middle East, capturing grand vistas and absorbing the luminous colors and intricate ornaments of these far-away locales. These formative experiences cultivated Tiffany’s lifelong fascination with light, pattern and decoration.

Tiffany’s Gardens at Laurelton Hall by Jane Peterson. Circa 1911. M.S. Rau.

In 1878, Tiffany founded his interior decorating firm, Louis C. Tiffany & Associated Artists, pioneering the concept of the total work of art—interiors in which architecture, furniture, mosaics, metalwork and glass formed a unified whole. His commissions spanned from Gilded Age mansions to the White House, introducing this immersive vision to American audiences. 

This philosophy found its fullest expression in Tiffany’s own residences. Laurelton Hall, his sprawling Long Island estate completed in 1905, served as both home and showcase for his finest creations alongside his extensive collections of Asian, Islamic and Native American art. Every room and every surface contributed to Tiffany’s grand aesthetic statement, and his gardens were treated with as much care as the home itself. In the 1920s, Tiffany built his Miami retreat, Comfort Lodge, to escape the bustle of New York and explore the distinct beauty of the tropics. Together, these homes embodied Tiffany’s belief that art should not only adorn but fully shape everyday life.

Tiffany Silver

In 1837, with $1,000 borrowed from his father, Charles Lewis Tiffany opened a small stationery and goods store in New York City with his friend John B. Young. By the turn of the century, Tiffany had transformed this shop into a global symbol of luxury, sophistication and American design excellence.

Tiffany & Co. Ewer Presented to President Lincoln. Hallmarked 1861. M.S. Rau.

Under Charles' visionary leadership, Tiffany & Co. achieved numerous firsts. In 1845, the firm debuted its iconic Blue Book, the first mail-order catalog in the United States and the origin of the company’s robin egg blue signature color. In 1851, Tiffany became the first American silversmith to adopt the English sterling standard of .925 purity, recruiting master artisans John C. Moore and his son Edward to oversee design and production.

By 1870, Tiffany & Co. silver was world famous. The firm had crafted presentation pieces for President Lincoln and General Ulysses S. Grant, won the grand prize for silver at the Paris Exposition Universelle (the first American firm to do so) and decorated the elaborate dining tables of the Gilded Age elite, among countless other honors. From stunning tableware and trophies to spectacular swords and firearms, Tiffany silver represented the pinnacle of 19th-century American craftsmanship.

Final Thoughts

The Tiffany legacy endures as a testament to the boundless possibilities of American artistry. From the brilliance of Charles Lewis Tiffany’s craftsmanship to the visionary imagination of Louis Comfort Tiffany, their work redefined the intersection of art, nature and design. Together, they transformed beauty into an ideal—one that continues to inspire collectors, artists and connoisseurs more than a century later. We hope you enjoyed Treasures of Tiffany! 

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