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拍品专文
Louis Comfort Tiffany’s passion for botany translated into his work, inspiring many designs that incorporated various flora, rich in form and color. The leaded glass ‘Elaborate Peony’ shade illustrates intricate blossoms of the named flower against foliate sprays. The model was introduced in 1910 and is more complex in comparison to the ‘Peony’ model that came before it with a more simplified, stylized pattern. Highly artistic and naturalistic, the design features peonies in different stages of life, from buds to mature blooms brought to life in selected glass tiles in shades of mauve purple, rose pink, and red orange.
The peony flower is native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America, with a particular presence in Chinese history. The peony was known as the ‘king of flowers’ in China and was once the national flower. Grown and cultivated in the gardens of emperors, the flower resembled wealth and prosperity. Tiffany, who was a connoisseur and admirer of Asian art, had a large personal collection including Chinese and Japanese furniture, Japanese sword guards (tsuba), Japanese prints, Chinese jades, paintings, pottery, and bronzes. One such Chinese painting was that of red and white peonies attributed to Chao Ch’ang in the 12th century (lot 876 from the 1946 Parke-Bernet Gallery auction of works from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation removed from Laurelton Hall). This flower has continued to provide inspiration to artists throughout the millennia, and Tiffany was no exception.
The present shade is paired with a rare ‘Arch and Leaf’ base, an impressive match accentuating the themes of nature and growth. Roots of the earth that form the archways give way to delicate leaves of life in their alcoves which are pierced to allow air, the most basic and necessary of elements to pass through. The Arch and Leaf lamp base appears in a photograph of the 1913 Metal Showroom, as well as in a historical photograph by Tiffany Studios, documenting its importance and the monumentality and daring nature of Tiffany Studios designs. The reticulated design of the base combined with the artistic selection in the shade captures beautifully the genius and innovative spirit of Tiffany’s creations.
The peony flower is native to Asia, Europe, and Western North America, with a particular presence in Chinese history. The peony was known as the ‘king of flowers’ in China and was once the national flower. Grown and cultivated in the gardens of emperors, the flower resembled wealth and prosperity. Tiffany, who was a connoisseur and admirer of Asian art, had a large personal collection including Chinese and Japanese furniture, Japanese sword guards (tsuba), Japanese prints, Chinese jades, paintings, pottery, and bronzes. One such Chinese painting was that of red and white peonies attributed to Chao Ch’ang in the 12th century (lot 876 from the 1946 Parke-Bernet Gallery auction of works from the Louis Comfort Tiffany Foundation removed from Laurelton Hall). This flower has continued to provide inspiration to artists throughout the millennia, and Tiffany was no exception.
The present shade is paired with a rare ‘Arch and Leaf’ base, an impressive match accentuating the themes of nature and growth. Roots of the earth that form the archways give way to delicate leaves of life in their alcoves which are pierced to allow air, the most basic and necessary of elements to pass through. The Arch and Leaf lamp base appears in a photograph of the 1913 Metal Showroom, as well as in a historical photograph by Tiffany Studios, documenting its importance and the monumentality and daring nature of Tiffany Studios designs. The reticulated design of the base combined with the artistic selection in the shade captures beautifully the genius and innovative spirit of Tiffany’s creations.