Peacock Mosaic from entrance hall of the Henry O. Havemeyer house, New York

Louis Comfort Tiffany1890/1891

Details

Title: Peacock Mosaic from entrance hall of the Henry O. Havemeyer house, New York
Creator: Louis Comfort Tiffany
Date Created: 1890/1891
Location: New York State
Physical Dimensions: w162.6 x h132.08 x d10.16 mm (work)
Label Copy: This mosaic employing one of Tiffany's signature motifs -the peacock- was the centerpiece of the foyer to the Havemeyer's opulent house; it was placed over the large fireplace that dominated the room. Tiffany has used a wide variety of glass types in this mosaic - translucent, opaque, cabochon, and gem-cut glass among them - making it a true technical tour de force. Some portions, such as the scrolling vine motif along the bottom of the mosaic (which is repeated in the palmette mosaic frieze) are flat, two-dimensional decorative passages. Other parts are richly descriptive of three-dimensional form, such as the crimped and folded glass that comprises the bodies of the peacocks, who face each other in heraldic fashion with magnificent spreading tails. Tiffany devised a creative means of depicting the tail feathers: clear, rippled glass with an iridescent surface has copper foil behind it, providing a characteristic reflective luster.
Type: Decorative Arts
External Link: http://quod.lib.umich.edu/m/musart/x-1986.146.9/1986.146.9.JPG?lasttype=boolean;lastview=thumbnail;resnum=1;sel9=ic_exact;size=20;sort=relevance;start=1;subview=detail;view=entry;rgn1=musart_an;select1=starts;q1=1986.146.9
Medium: Favrile glass, pottery, and plaster

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