FROM THE COLLECTION

Necklace, c. 1903–6

Exhibited: Societé Nationale des Beaux-Arts, Paris, 1905 or 1906
Peacock and flamingo
Enamel, opal, amethyst, ruby, sapphire, demantoid garnet, emerald, chrysoberyl, pearl, gold
Louis Comfort Tiffany, 1848–1933
10 inches long
(58-001)

Louis Comfort Tiffany only produced a few hundred pieces of his art jewelry, and the most significant example in the Museum’s collection—the “peacock” necklace—is arguably the designer’s most important existing work in the medium. Though reportedly designed for the debut of his line of art jewelry at the 1904 Universal Exposition in St. Louis, the peacock necklace was not exhibited at least until 1905 and possibly not until 1906 at the Salon of the Société Nationale des Beaux-Arts in Paris. The front medallion features a peacock mosaic of opals and enamels surrounded by amethysts and sapphires. Exhibition pieces were finished on both sides, and the back of the necklace is an enameled design of pink flamingoes. Unlike the extravagant jewelry produced under the direction of Charles Tiffany (1812–1902) at Tiffany & Co., Louis’s jewelry was distinguished by design and color. He executed his innovative creations—many drawing from the organic forms that had inspired him in glass—using largely semiprecious stones and enamels. His father, on the other hand, had built a reputation using precious jewels purchased from post-revolution European royalty. A review of the St. Louis world’s fair in The Craftsman (Vol. 7, November 1904) took note of Louis Tiffany’s jewelry and how he employed “more unusual stones and gems; choosing them always solely with a view to the desired artistic result, and setting aside all question of their market value.”

October 25, 2012

Lockwood de Forest’s
The Wreck Is Focus of
New Exhibition

At first glance, Lockwood de Forest’s oil painting The Wreck is a simple desert landscape. This major work, however, is a complex metaphor for life, death, and the drama of survival. The subject of a new Morse Focus Exhibition that opened October 23, the 36-by-48-inch painting is accompanied by photo essay panels that help the viewer appreciate this powerful painting’s creation, context, and symbolism. A recent gift, this Orientalist work depicts five Bedouins riding their camels across a distant sunlit horizon and in the foreground, the dark skeletal remains of a camel—the “wreck” of the painting’s title. De Forest (1850–1932), a friend and business partner of Louis Comfort Tiffany’s (1848–1933), was also an importer and decorator.

Detail, The Wreck, 1880
Oil on canvas
Lockwood de Forest, 1850–1932
Gift of the estate of Lisa de Forest
(2010-007)

New Vignette Showcases Recent Acquisitions

Though dominated by the massive gift from Jeannette and Hugh McKean, the Morse collection has always been supported and enhanced by individuals whose contributions have helped the collection to grow in important ways. The Museum’s new vignette From the Morse Vaults—Recent Acquisitions shows how the Museum’s collection continues to evolve through generous donations. Highlights include Blue Magnolia and Zephyr Lily pottery from Roseville, a 1908 gold wristwatch from Tiffany & Co., and blown-glass vases from the family of Arthur J. Nash (1849–1934), who Louis Comfort Tiffany hired to develop his signature glass. The vignette will be on view through January 6, 2013.

Cookie jar, after 1943
Magnolia pattern
Glazed clay
Roseville Pottery, Zanesville, Ohio
Gift of William King Rogers Jr. and Elgan Atwood Stappe II
(2012-002:027)

Friday Nights at the Morse Resume November 2

Mark your calendars now for the return of free Friday nights at the Morse on November 2. Every Friday night from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., November through April, visitors to the Museum receive free admission to the galleries. To enhance the gallery experience, our schedule also includes a variety of programs, such as live music, curator tours, art demonstrations, and family tours on select dates throughout the season. For a complete schedule of Friday night open house events, please visit our Web site.

Visitors to the Morse can enjoy the beauty of the galleries, including the Tiffany Chapel, for free on Friday nights November through April.

Fall Film Series: Secret Life of 19th-Century Paintings

This fall, the Friday Brown Bag Matinees examine the story behind three famous masterpieces from the late 19th century with films from the BBC series The Private Life of a Masterpiece. The series kicks off at noon November 2 with Édouard Manet:Le Déjeuner Sur L'Herbe, and continues with James McNeill Whistler: Portrait of the Artist’s Mother on November 9 and Edvard Munch: The Scream on November 16. The films, each about 50 minutes long, will be shown in the Jeannette G. and Hugh F. McKean Pavilion, 161 West Canton Avenue (just behind the Museum). Those attending are invited to bring a lunch; the Museum provides soft drinks and refreshments. Admission is free.

Édouard Manet’s “Luncheon on the Grass” (Le Déjeuner Sur L'Herbe) will be the focus of the first film in the fall Brown Bag Matinee series on November 2.