Louis C. Tiffany, Famed Stained Glass Artisan

Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933) is associated with Art Nouveau style stained glass lamps and windows. He was nicknamed "Rebel in Glass" because he ventured into many avenues of art glass. He founded Tiffany and Company soon after the Civil War and employed several artists to carry out his artistic ideas.

Tiffany had studied painting in Paris and when he returned home, he studied Medieval techniques in glassmaking. From his experimentation of many techniques of glassmaking, he came up with his beautiful "drapery" stained glass which he used to represent the folds and ripples in the robes and gowns of figures in his stained glass windows.

Tiffany's first figure stained glass window was built in 1878 using opalescent glass from the Heidt glasshouse. He made his first glass tiles at Heidt glass house, his factory in Brooklyn. Tiffany's stained glass designs were unique and constructed with an aim for stability so that they would last and be enjoyed for generations.

Much of Tiffany's work no longer exists. Without a thought, people threw away Tifffany stained glass lampshades; and, church and cathedral stained glass windows have been destroyed over time. Some of Tiffany's stained glass lamp shades, when found, are now valued up to tens of thousands of dollars or more.

Tiffany's stained glass products were not intended to be mass produced but, rather, were created for individuals or church memorial gifts. Probably only less than half of Tiffany's stained glass products are still in existence. Those are mostly already in museums or are kept by prominent collectors. So, it is unlikely for you to accidentally run across a Tiffany stained glass lampshade or stained glass window panel that will make you wealthy.

Tiffany was an avid painter who painted all his life. His painting ability was very useful to him in designing his significant stained glass windows. His "cartoons" were not merely patterns on paper, but often they were full-size oil paintings on canvas. For Tiffany, stained glass windows were simply another form of painting.

Interestingly, Tiffany's stained glass windows for public buildings were signed, but stained glass windows he built for individual homes were not signed. He thought the families who lived in the homes would be able to attribute to the fact that he or his company had made their stained glass windows. This has caused problems proving stained glass windows were his.

One of Tiffany's better known designs was the Wisteria Table Lamp (c. 1900) of which many reproductions have been made. The beautiful stained glass lamp shade is a resemblance of a vine, leaves, and wisteria blossoms dripping all over in beautiful colors.

Tiffany's stained glass works can be seen in various places. One such place is the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art at Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida where the interior of the chapel Tiffany designed is assembled. It had been designed for the 1893 World Columbian Exposition in Chicago. After the exposition, it had been stored in Tiffany's mansion until the mansion burned down. The chapel parts and all its stained glass windows were salvaged and rebuilt in the museum at Rollins College.

There are several of Tiffany's stained glass windows in New Jersey. Stained glass windows at Saint James Church in Fordham, Bronx, New York represent some of Tiffany's best work from the late 19th century through 1929. Other Tiffany stained glass works can be seen at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, City.

Many references to locations where Tiffany's stained glass windows and other art can be seen can be found online.