The History of Tiffany Lamps

Louis Comfort Tiffany began his career as a painter in the 1860s and 1870s after studying under the American landscape painter George Inness. His paintings often featured scenes from his travels in Europe and North Africa. These travels not only inspired his painting work, but also introduced him to Medieval and Roman glass. Tiffany soon began creating stained glass for interiors and even took commissions from Mark Twain, Cornelius Vanderbilt, and President Arthur. Over time, Tiffany became increasingly influenced by and supportive of the European Art Nouveau movement, which emphasized free-flowing designs, color, and nature, and challenged the ornate Victorian style that was dominant at the time. In the late 1890s, Tiffany decided to make colorful leaded glass lamps as a way of allowing a greater number of people to enjoy art and beauty in their own homes. He and his studio craftsmen began creating colored glass lamps in 1885, and the majority of authentic Tiffany lamps were crafted between 1895 and 1920. In 1899, Tiffany made the lamps available for sale to the public. Tiffany passed away in 1933 and soon after, the popularity of his elaborate lamps declined as new art styles took over. However, the first Tiffany retrospective, which took place in 1958, and MoMA’s Art Nouveau show, which was held in 1960, reignited interest in his work. Today, Tiffany lamps are treasured collector’s items and also appear in museums and other public buildings.