Louis C Tiffany Pink Peony Large Suction-Cup Vase

Known as a leader of the Art Nouveau and Aesthetic movements, Louis C. Tiffany (1848-1943) and his designers used his trademark favrile glass to express nature-inspired themes for extraordinary lamps and windows.

In line with the horticultural trends of the early 20th Century, the cottage garden - planted with a profusion of colorful flowers - was a source of inspiration for Tiffany’s designers. Often beginning with close observation of nature, they worked from detailed botanical photographs to create the initial watercolor sketches that would be translated into spectacular leaded glass compositions.

Our suction-cup vase is adapted from one of Tiffany’s Peony shades in the collection of the New-York Historical Society. Probably designed by Clara Driscoll, Tiffany’s innovative manager of the Woman’s Glass Cutting Department (the Tiffany Girls), the design features lushly colored deep pink and red peonies spilling over a fence-like border.

Tiffany Studios (1902-1932)
Probably designed by Clara Driscoll (1861-1944)
Peony Shade, ca. 1900-1904
Gift of Dr. Egon Neustadt, N84.83.1
New-York Historical Society