January 31, 2012 through April 22, 2012
Free with Museum admission
Wisteria lamp, designed by Clara Driscoll c. 1901,
18 ½ in. diam. New-York Historical Society, Gift of
Dr. Egon Neustadt, N84.130.
"A New Light on Tiffany: Clara Driscoll and the Tiffany Girls" presents groundbreaking research that sheds light on the many women who played a crucial role in the design and creation of Tiffany Studios’ masterpieces, in particular, Clara Driscoll (1861–1944), head of the Women’s Glass Cutting Department. Driscoll’s recently discovered correspondence, written during her employment at Tiffany Studios at the turn of the century, reveals that she was responsible for many of the firm’s most iconic lampshades, including the Wisteria, Dragonfly and Poppy, as well as numerous other objects made with glass, bronze and mosaic. In addition to designing, Driscoll managed a large department of young women, known as the “Tiffany Girls,” who specialized in selecting and cutting glass for windows, shades and mosaics. The exhibition presents the renowned works of Tiffany Studios in an entirely new context, focusing on the women who labored behind the scenes to create the masterpieces now inextricably linked to the Tiffany name.
The exhibition includes more than 50 objects, including Tiffany lamps, windows, mosaics, enamels, ceramics, and pages of recently discovered correspondence written by head designer Clara Driscoll. Organized by the New-York Historical Society, the exhibition previously traveled to Laren, The Netherlands, Munich, Germany, and Albuquerque, New Mexico. After a successful international tour, the Flagler Museum is the final opportunity for visitors to see this fantastic collection.The exhibition’s curators are Martin Eidelberg, Professor Emeritus of Art History at Rutgers University; Nina Gray, independent scholar and former Associate Curator of Decorative Arts at the New-York Historical Society; and Margaret K. Hofer, New-York Historical Society Curator of Decorative Arts.
Reviews:
"Flagler Museum's 'Tiffany' exhibit celebrates Clara Driscoll, other women glass-cutters, designers" - Jan Sjostrom, Palm Beach Daily News
"The female staff of designers behind Tiffany's lamps finally get their due" - Scott Eyman, The Palm Beach Post
Watch CBS Sunday Morning Review
