62 windows located in the Reid Memorial Presbyterian Church in Richmond, Indiana were created by Louis Comfort Tiffany

“The pursuit of beauty” was the single goal of the amazing talented Louis Comfort Tiffany who was one of the most creative and prolific designers of the late 19th-century.

Photograph of Louis Comfort Tiffany 1915

One of America’s most acclaimed artists, Louis Comfort Tiffany’s was an artist whose career experimented and influenced many artistic and decorative mediums.  Tiffany designed and directed artisans in his studios to produce leaded-glass windows, mosaics, lighting, glass, pottery, metalwork, enamels, jewelry, and interiors.

Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1848-1933, was the son of the founder of Tiffany & Company which is an upscale jewelry and luxury home goods store.  Tiffany chose not to join the family business and instead followed his artistic endeavors. 

Cairo Travelers Resting by Louis Comfort Tiffany

1869, oil on canvas New Britain Museum of American Art

Garden Landscape and Fountain ca. 1905–15

Louis-Comfort Tiffany Studios

Starting in the late 1870s, Tiffany focus changed to the decorative arts and interiors.  He started designing and overseeing the creation of elaborate stained glass windows and art glass installations. Tiffany designed private interiors and public spaces for family, friends and institutions.

Window with Hudson River Landscape by Louis Comfort Tiffany

at the Corning Museum of Glass

Leaded glass home furnishings, windows and installations brought Tiffany him the greatest recognition. Tiffany and John La Farge, modernized the creation and the look of stained glass. The pair of artisans experimented and created a new type of glass that showed a blended palette with richer colors and hues.  different colors were blended together in the molten state, achieving subtle effects of shading and texture.  In 1881, both Tiffany and LeFarge  patented an opalescent milky multi colored glass.

Dragonfly Lamp 1906

With Tiffany glass production and the vibrant colors that his artisans were creating in the late 1890’s Tiffany and his studios turned toward creating lighting and lamps. 

 Vase 1903

From there Tiffany mastered, created studios where he assembled and trained artists in enamel work, blown glass works, pottery and jewelry. Tiffany used all his skills in the design of his own house, the 84-room Laurelton Hall, in the village of Laurel Hollow, on Long Island, New York completed in 1905. Later this estate was donated to his foundation for art students along with 60 acres of land, sold in 1949, and was destroyed by a fire in 1957.

 My Favorite picture of tiffany in all his colorful glory

by his friend the artist Sorolla Joaquin

For Further Browsing and Reading

• Robert Koch, Louis C. Tiffany: Rebel in Glass (1964),

• Susie Hodge, Louis Comfort Tiffany (2014)

• The Macklowe Gallery:

• The Louis Comfort Tiffany Story on The Tiffany and Company Site