'Iris' Vase, circa 1900

Louis Comfort Tiffany was fascinated with glass as an artistic medium. Enamel, which is essentially powdered glass fused onto a metal body, therefore was a natural decorative technique for him to explore. Tiffany was assisted in this exploration by his chief chemist, Dr. Parker McIlhiney, and four of the "Tiffany Girls" -- Alice Gouvy, Julia Munson, Lillian Palmié and Patricia Gay. Together, they developed an iridescent enamel and, more significantly, a translucent enamel that allowed hints of the copper body to be seen through the enamel. In 1900, the Tiffany Glass and Decorating Company exhibited enamels at the Paris Exposition Universelle, among other artistic objects, receiving critical acclaim. "They [the enamels] are evidently not such as can be turned out by the mere clever workman, but show the creative mind of the artist. In awarding them the Grand Prix, the jury has marked its sense of their supreme excellence." The Collector, October 1900.
The wonderful ‘Iris’ vase presented here demonstrates the artistry, technical innovation and superb craftmanship that brought Tiffany’s enamels their international recognition. The transparency and delicacy of the enamel create a jewel-like surface that glimmers in the light. The overall form of the irises, with their tall, slim leaves and fan-shaped petals complement beautifully the shape of the vase. Evocative of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s work as a painter, this gorgeous 'Iris' vase reveals his love of intense color, his stimulation from the Impressionist paintings of the time and his reliance on Nature for inspiration. It is pieces such as this one that caused one contemporary to refer to Tiffany’s enamels as “vision of delight” and “rare works of genius.”