Pond Lily globe, 1900–1910, leaded glass, 13 1/3 inches high by 14 inches diameter, Tiffany Studios, New York. Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, Long Island City, N.Y.
:Tiffany's stained glass, replete with luscious depictions of poppies, grape vines, lotus, daffodil, dogwood and wisteria, are shown in magnificent lamps and windows. "Tiffany Lamps: Articles of Utility, Objects of Art," opening at Nassau County Museum of Art (NCMA) Sunday, September 21, includes approximately 45 major works and includes displays of how the glass and lamps were made.
The objects and displays are from the world-renowned Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, and is curated by Lindsay Parrott. An accompanying exhibition, "Tiffany and the Gilded Age," shows Tiffany's influence on the art styles of his time, emphasizing Art Nouveau as a decorative theme in a fabulous interior tableau.
Curated by Constance Schwartz and Franklin Perrell, the presentation includes furniture by Majorelle and Galle, ceramics and objets d'art, jewelry and paintings by the avant-garde artists of the period — including Charles Prendergast, Childe Hassam, Dewing and others — all presented in a typical room environment.
Turtleback chandelier, circa 1905, blown glass, bronze with pressed glass, 49 inches high by 18 inches diameter, Tiffany Studios, New York. Neustadt Collection of Tiffany Glass, Long Island City, N.Y.
At the height of the Gilded Age, Louis Comfort Tiffany created a glamorous environment based on his own designs in his fabled Oyster Bay home, Laurelton Hall. Tiffany's light-filled Orientalism and his employment of fanciful Art Nouveau lines contrasted sharply with the era's prevailing dark Victorian décor and had a powerful influence in the shifting of design tastes of the wealthy and famous of the Gilded Age. "Tiffany and the Gilded Age" places Tiffany's glass, ceramics, jewelry and silver in the context of related paintings, sculpture and furniture of Tiffany's times.
"Tiffany Lamps: Articles of Utility, Objects of Art" and "Tiffany and the Gilded Age" will remain on view through January 4.
NCMA is sponsoring a wide range of public programming that will illuminate and enhance the experience of viewing the exhibitions. Among the programs are talks by Franklin Hill Perrell, Charles A. Riley II and JoAnn Olian; a tour of Tiffany treasures to be found on Long Island; and two private tours of the exhibition followed by elegant teas such as those enjoyed by the wealthy of the Gilded Era.
Nassau County Museum of Art is at One Museum Drive. For more information or to register for any event, 516-484-9338, extension 12, or
www.nassaumuseum.com
.
