News: June 17, 2009. From: www.wcax.com

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It’s a sunny day on the grounds of the Shelburne Museum, but inside, there is a celebration of darkness. Curator Jean Burks beams,

“I think this is the most stunning installation we’ve done in the fifteen years I’ve been here.”

Louis Comfort Tiffany, the son of the famous jewelry designer, is perhaps best known for his stained glass windows and lamps, with colors so rich, the countless knockoffs they inspired can’t compare.

The museum’s new show focuses on Tiffany & Co. designs borrowed from the outside world, like flowers and fruit. 
Burks adds,

“All of his designs are held together with naturalistic themes.”

The show also includes Tiffany’s work in other materials, including an unusual 56-karat amethyst necklace on loan from the Smithsonian’s natural history museum, and furniture belonging to Shelburne Museum founder Electra Havemeyer Webb’s parents. They commissioned Tiffany to design their 3-story New York City mansion.

Burks explains,

“This is the first time you have an interior decorator responsible for such a huge commission. This would be the interiors, the walls, the ceilings, the floors, the mosaics, the glass, the metalwork. And they gave him carte blanche.”

The museum had a challenge in presenting this work, having to build custom cases to protect the rare and valuable pieces, and create nature-inspired risers so visitors can see the work from all sides. Plus, traditional gallery light would dull the glow from the vibrant stained glass.

The exhibit’s preparator, Todd Townsend, says,

“We ended up not using much light. In the main gallery, there’s no light at all, which at first seems shocking, but really blows you away.”

The Tiffany exhibit opens Saturday, June 20, and will be on view through the end of the Shelburne Museum’s season in late October.