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Guns and glass – celebrate the Tiffany family design legacy at Nevada Museum of Art

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The Nevada Museum of Art is excited to announce three exhibitions that celebrate art of the Tiffany era. The Tiffany family design legacy is presented in this unique mix of exhibitions featuring Louis Comfort Tiffany’s stained glass of the Art Nouveau era and a rare collection of Tiffany & Co.’s decorative firearms. Charles Lewis Tiffany established Tiffany & Co. in 1837; while his son Louis Comfort Tiffany later founded Tiffany Studios, renowned for exquisite decorative objects.

Out of the Forest: Art Nouveau Lamps

This exhibition features 20 stained glass lamps manufactured in the early 20th century by the companies of Tiffany Studios; Handel; Durand; and Duffner & Kimberly. The exhibition focuses on themes related to the Art Nouveau style and its inspiration in nature, as well as the history of various design companies who competed for customers at the turn of the century. The lamps will be displayed on a 75-foot-long custom pedestal system designed in the shape of a dragonfly—Tiffany Studio’s company logo.

All of the objects in this exhibition are from the private collection of Byron Vreeland.

In the Company of Angels: Seven Rediscovered Tiffany Windows

Comprised of seven stained glass window panels, the works in this exhibition were created by Tiffany Studios at the beginning of the 20th century and named for the angels in the Book of Revelation from the Bible. The windows were originally installed in the Church of the New Jerusalem in Cincinnati, Ohio until the building was taken by eminent domain and demolished for highway construction in 1964. The windows, crated and stored in various garages and sheds for decades, were re-discovered in 2001. This national exhibition tour debuts the story of these seven rediscovered Tiffany Windows.

Arthur Femenella, a Tiffany stained glass expert, and conservator overseeing the restoration of these windows, explains: ―These Tiffany windows are selected from a rich and varied palette of opalescent, drapery, rolled, textured, antiqued and flashed glass. The faces and flesh of the angels are delicately hand painted with vitreous paint. The rest of the windows are exquisitely plated, a technique developed by Tiffany and John La Farge involving the mechanical layering of layers of glass used to achieve great depth.‖

Tiffany & Co. Arms from the Robert M. Lee Collection

This exclusive, single-venue exhibition highlights the wares of Tiffany & Co., the most distinguished name in decorative firearms in America — a surprise to those who might otherwise recognize the firm as a legendary purveyor of fine silver, jewelry and luxury objects. Founded in 1837 by Charles Lewis Tiffany, what became Tiffany & Co. commenced business just one year after the young inventor Samuel Colt registered his new designs for revolving pistols and long arms with the U.S. Patent Office. In the 175 years since then, the paths of Tiffany & Co. and Colt crossed many times.

The Robert M. Lee Collection is recognized as the finest selection of Tiffany & Co. arms privately owned. The collection of arms in this exhibition — including three revolvers, four pistols, one rifle, and one presentation sword — is rivaled only by those on display in the Robert M. Lee Gallery of American Arms, at The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

Major Sponsorship for Out of the Forest: Art Nouveau Lamps and In Company with Angels: Seven Rediscovered Tiffany Windows provided by I. Heidi Loeb Hegerich. Supporting sponsorship provided by Bally Technologies, Wells Fargo Foundation, Robert Z. Hawkins Foundation, and McDonald Carano Wilson LLP. Additional support provided by John and Andrea Deane. Exclusive sponsorship of Tiffany & Co. Arms from the collection of Robert M. Lee provided by Wayne L. Prim Foundation.

Programming, including lectures, performing art, a film, and tours, are offered in conjunction with the exhibitions:

MEMBERS’ PREMIERE Hosted by NV Energy

Friday, February 10 / 6 – 8 pm
Museum members are invited to be the first to view the celebrated Tiffany treasures from the turn of the century across three feature exhibitions. Live music and cash bar. Kids Open Art Studio available / $5. Cost: Admission is free for Museum Members with valid member card.

PREMIERE TALK Dr. Martin Eidelberg on Clara Driscoll, the Tiffany Girls, and Art of the Tiffany Era

Saturday, February 18 / 10:30 – 11:30 am
Art Historian Dr. Martin Eidelberg is one of the foremost scholars of Tiffany art glass and lamp designs, and has conducted extensive and important scholarship on the role of women in Louis Comfort Tiffany’s studio. Please join the Museum for what promises to be a fascinating look into the life, art and history of Louis Comfort Tiffany and the art glass crafted in his studio. Cost: $15 / $10 Museum members

ART BITE Meet the Artist: Corky Normart on Dalle de Verre Art Glass

Friday, March 2 / noon
Glass artist Corky Normart explains the Dalle de Verre art glass method and process.

FILM My Fair Lady
Saturday, March 10 / 10:30 am & 2 pm
Enjoy the 1964 classic film, a landmark work of Art Nouveau-inspired production design. Admission is Free thanks to the Nightingale Family Foundation

ART BITE R.L. Wilson on the Arms of Tiffany & Co.

Friday, March 23 / noon
Curator, writer and consultant on the history, art and design of firearms, R.L. Wilson discusses Tiffany & Co. arms and a fascinating introduction to the beautiful firearms on display.

CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES
Great Basin Brass Quintet and Woodwind Ensemble Lead by Eric Fassbender
Saturday, February 25 / 3 pm
Reno Early Music and Peter Epstein on Saxophone
Saturday, March 31 / 3 pm
In collaboration with the University of Nevada, Reno School of the Arts, the Museum presents a music performance series coinciding with the three Tiffany Era exhibitions on view. Enjoy a wide range of performances and musical styles responding to the art glass in display. Cost: 15 / $10 Museum Members

Out of the Forest: Art Nouveau Lamps; In the Company of Angels: Seven Rediscovered Tiffany Windows; and Tiffany & Co. Arms from the Robert M. Lee Collection will be exhibited February 11 through May 20 at the Nevada Museum of Art, Donald W. Reynolds Center for the Visual Arts, E. L. Wiegand Gallery located at 160 West Liberty Street in downtown Reno. The Museum is open Wednesday through Sunday. Cost: Museum members free; $10 adults; $8 students/seniors; $1 children 6 – 12; free for children five and under. For more information, please call 775.329.3333 or visit www.nevadaart.org.

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