Smith Museum :Tiffany Gallery [ Field of Lilies - Tiffany Studio ]

Field of Lilies..

Designed, Fabricated by Tiffany Studio..

Location: Tiffany Gallery at the

the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, Navy Pier.

Although Tiffany initially designed figure windows on Biblical themes, the floral and landscape subjects soon vied with it in popularity. He then joined the two to create a window that was neither solely landscape nor figurative.These designs often featured figures set in lush landscapes, a departure from the traditional Gothic setting from Biblical scenes.
Field of Lilies.. is a superb example of neither-floral-landscape-nor-figurative type of window.

Of all of Tiffany's artistic endeavours, stained glass brought him the greatest recognition.

Read More

Smith Museum Tiffany Gallery [ Two Angels - by Tiffany Studio ]

Two Angels [1910]..
Designed and Fabricated by Tiffany Studio..

All the various glass inventions of Louis Comfort Tiffany can be studied in this superb pair of angels. Angels seated in the fields of lilies indicate divine purity. This symbolism is carried to a thoughtful conclusion by the angels beautifully feathered white wings and drapery-folded garments. The use of pastel colors contribute to the serenity. As with all Tiffany figurative windows, the exposed faces, hands and feet are painted..

Read More

Smith Museum : Tiffany Gallery [Evening Landscape - by Louis Comfort Tiffany ]

Evening Landscape..

Design and Fabrication attributed to Louis Comfort Tiffany, Tiffany Associated Artists, New York..

Location: Tiffany Gallery

at the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows, Navy Pier, Chicago.

This window from Tiffany Impressionist period emphasized the spiritual, with birth, death and rebirth, implied in the shimmering light created by opalescent plated glass.

Read More

Smith Museum : Tiffany Gallery [ Landscapes by y Agnes F. Northrop]

In 1885, Louis Comfort Tiffany founded the Tiffany Glass Company, which in 1890 became the Tiffany Studio. The designers Tiffany employed were the best in the business..

- Edward Peck Sperry

- Maitland Armstrong

- Jacob A Holzer

- Anges F. Northrop

- Frederick Wilson

Tiffany Gallery, within the Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows.

Here are some of the work of Anges F. Northrop..

Autumn Landscape [1890s]..

This window is from Tiffany's Impressionist period. Selected sheets of Favrile glass are combined into a sky as "impressionist" as one produced by the painters. The window appears even more spontaneous because of the light that is transmitted through it, a uniqueness of glass unknown to the painters on canvas.

 

Landscape with Yellow Sky [1915]..

A superb late example of Louis Comfort Tiffany's mastery of stained glass in a landscape. The window shows how Tiffany's style evolved from Impressionist to a greater degree of realism, without sacrificing the spiritual impact.

 

Landscape with waterfall [1920s]..

This window demonstrates how Tiffany's craftsmen manipulated several kinds of glass to create extraordinary naturalness..

- Motted Glass - recreate intense sunlight as filtered through the leaves of the trees

- Striated glass evokes movement of the water in the foreground

- Playing several layers of colored glass in the reverse create the impression of distant, misty mountain peaks..

Read More

Stained Glass from 1893, World's Columbian Exposition, Chicago.. [Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows]

1893, Chicago World's Columbian Exposition, survivor..
It was the center piece of three-piece window from Massachusetts installed in the Woman's Building. The window is an early and major statement of American feminism.
Now at "Smith Museum of Stained Glass Windows" at Navy Pier..

The central composition depicts the allegorical scene entitled "Massachusetts Mothering, the Coming Woman of Liberty, Progress, and Light". The figure to the right, the older of the two, is personification of Massachusetts, is one of the inspiring states of the early United States, to the younger woman on the left representing the coming woman, the woman of future. The young woman, as a personification of freedom wears a liberty cap [Frigian Cap] and holds a torch lighting the way to wisdom and knowledge.

In brief, the window represents the three key elements argued for by women at the Exposition and represented by the building..
- Liberty of all women,
- Enlightenment for the oppressor
- Progress made when this is accomplished..
As she steps from the level of the older woman, she is the woman of the future.

Designed, signed and dated by Elizabeth Parson, Edith Blake Brown and Ethel Isadore Brown. Fabricated by Ford and Brooks of Boston, Massachusetts, 1893.

Read More

2010 Chicago Air and Water Show

Above images of Aeroshell Aerobatic Team..

2010 Chicago Air and Water Show..
August 14 & 15.. [10 am - 4pm]

Well I could only make to the Sunday, Air Show...
And late, reached at about 12 noon..
Couldn't have asked for a more beautiful day - It was perfect!




Highlight of the day was, of course Blue Angles!!!
How many charactar traits are required to achieve this level of perfection?





Check out more images from the gorgeous day, on my Facebook Photo Album, click here..
There are images of..
- Blue Angles [U.S.Navy]
- C-130 Hercules [U.S.Air Force]
- F-16 Fighting Falcon [U.S.Air Force]
- U.H. -60 Black Hawk [U.S. Army]
- Aeroshell Aerobatic Team [Civilian Aircraft]
- Lima Lima Flight Team [Civilian Aircraft.].
From, 2010 Chicago Air and Water Show, Sunday, August 15, 2010..




Above images of Lima Lima Flight Team..

Check out more images on my Facebook Photo Album, click here..

Read More

Louis Sullivan's Idea

Two special exhibits on Louis Sullivan's works..
- "Louis Sullivan's Idea" ..
at Chicago Cultural Center..
June 26–November 28, 2010..
Chicago artist Chris Ware and cultural historian Tim Samuelson present an installation of photographs, drawings, documents, and artifacts that portrays Sullivan's life, writings, and architectural works.. And planned in concert with this exhibition is
- "Looking after Louis Sullivan: Photographs, Drawings and Fragments"..
at the Art Institute of Chicago..
June 19–December 12, 2010..
where photographers John Szarkowski, Aaron Siskind, and Richard Nickel are on display. It explores how these photographers employed the camera to document and interpret Sullivan’s architecture and, in the process, helped shape his legacy. The exhibition is drawn from the permanent collections of the Department of Photography and the Department of Architecture and Design at the Art Institute of Chicago..

Next few posts are on based on the special exhibit, "Louis Sullivan's Idea" at the Chicago Cultural Center...





To me, one of the most interesting feature of the exhibit was to see how his early blocky ornamentation evolved into more lacy foliate patterns.. See the difference within a span of about 20 years.
Left image: Rothschild Store [1881, demolished]
Right image: Schlesinger & Mayer Store / Carson Pirie Scott Bldg. [1899, external terracotta ornamentation now removed]..



Also of great interest to me was the display of his works that he created between 1922 and 1923, for the Art Institute's Burnham library illustrating his philosophy of architectural ornamentation, which was later published by the American School of Architects in the form of a book, "A System of Architectural Ornamentation According with the Philosophy of Man's Powers", published posthumously in 1924..

This post is on the special exhibit, "Louis Sullivan Ideas", and, as usual, my coverage is divided into several posts..



Early years [1870s to 1880s]..
Many of his commissions in the early years, where of residential buildings. His foliate ornamentation were rather blocky then [beautiful anyways!].. Auditorium Building, in 1889, was perhaps Adler and Dankmar's first project that landed their name to the national fame. the exhibit has many architectural fragments from Sullivan's early residential buildings, most of them demolished now..
# For more, click here..



1890-1898..
By this time, the firm of Adler and Sullivan started getting many commissions for commercial buildings. One of the most famous being the Chicago Stock Exchange Building. And looking at the fragments, one cannot help but regret that this masterpiece was demolished..
There are also photographs and fragments from other gems like..
- Condict Building, New York [1898]
- St. Nicholas Hotel [1893, demolished]
- Schiller Building/later Garrick Theater [1892, demolished]..
# For more, click here..



1898-1924..
- Schlesinger & Mayer Store [1899]
- Holy Trinity Cathedral [1903]
- Krause Music Store [1922]
All of these buildings survive!!!
# For more.. click here..

Krause Music Store [facade ornamentation], was Louis Sullivan's last executed project...
The exhibit then throws light on some moments of his private life, his interest in rose cultivation, how he helped his [then-seperated] wife publish her book, The Goddess of Dawn, his liking for cigarettes and so on..



Collaboration with friend and consultant, Louis J. Millet..
Sullivan worked in close collaboration with Louis J. Millet [in at least two projects two projects that I know of]..
- Stencil decorations in the interior of Schiller Building's theater ..
- Stencil patterns at the Stock Exchange Trading room, where 52 colors were used to give depth, movement and dimension to the walls of the ceiling..



I think his biggest contribution was his uniquely American architectural style, rather than continue to adapt classical, Gothic or even historical elements..

A lot more needs to be written, some of which I know but have the time-constraint, some of which I am not aware of.. I'll add a few more texts and images, as I get time.. Although not absolutely comprehensive, I hope it gives a rough idea of the wonderful exhibit that is..

Also check out some images in my album, the "Legacy of Louis Sullivan" ..



And, if you havent already, then probably this sketch, by Louis Sullivan, should be motivation enough to visit, the special exhibit at the Art Institute of Chicago, "Looking after Louis Sullivan: Photographs, Drawings and Fragments"..

Check out.. Chicago - Architecture and Cityscape.. click here..

Related Links..
# Louis Sullivan buildings, extant in Chicago..

Read More