The Sunset Scene

The Sunset Scene
Artist	Tiffany Studios
Year	1915
Medium	Stained glass
Subject	The beauty of nature and the essence of life and death
Dimensions	53 1/4 x 23 1/4 x 1 3/16 in. (135.3 x 59.1 x 3 cm)
Location	Memorial Art Gallery, Rochester, New York

The Sunset Scene is a window glass artwork created by Tiffany Studios around 1915. This artwork was created to symbolize the distinct line between life and death.Tiffany Studios manufactured many stained glass pieces, the scene was one of a couple of windows created for Mount Hope Cemetery in Rochester New York. Many of these window pieces have been created in relation to religion and personal interior home decor and other decorating purposes.

The sunset scene in particular is a leaded glass, with a white wooden frame surrounding it. The roses on the bottom of the piece give it a pop of a different color that is not shown anywhere else in the piece of glass. The river and the illusion of length that it provides the viewers insinuates movement because of the transparent properties that the glass has. This is emphasized because of the different types of glass used.

The mountains, for instance, are cast in shadow on the front side by the use of several layers of glass plates attached on the back side. This technique was developed by Tiffany Studios and is known as mottling. That technique is used throughout to create shadow and depth, both under the tree and among the plants where the mottled glass really adds the illusion of sunlight. According to Tiffany Census many of the techniques used for making these types of windows include many layers and colors to depict a different motion, or to complete and enhance the fullness of the view intended for the piece.The creation of a stained window is a long process with many techniques involved, thus time is a very important factor in this medium.

Louis Comfort Tiffany

Louis Comfort Tiffany was a well-known artist for painting, but he found himself intrigued by the unique mode of glass production in medieval Europe, and was disappointed by the type of glass produced in the 19th century in The United States. According to Rachel M. Bradshaw, “Tiffany realized that the nineteenth-century windows lacked the brilliance and quality of this medieval glass. Instead, nineteenth-century artisans emphasized naturalistic details rather than color…” (1998). According to Tiffany Windows in Richmond & Petersburg, Virginia “The lack of quality stained-glass manufacturers in America left artisans to depend on European and English glass, usually what the foreign glass workers had rejected” (Rachael Bradshaw, pg.1) Although The United States did not have many experts in the field of glass at the time, Tiffany started doing experiments with glass and color. He was able to modernize some of the glassworks he has seen in textbooks about medieval glass, and those he had seen in Europe.

From there Tiffany started conducting more experiments and established a new era for what is known to be glasswork, an article by The Metropolitan Museum stated  “Tiffany loaned to the Museum twenty-seven pieces from his own collection, representing a wider range of production techniques and more developed styles of glass. One of these new techniques produced glass that resembled Lava or “volcanic” glass” (Bowl:51.121.13) The Metropolitan Museum of Arts even states, “Of all of Tiffany’s artistic endeavors, leaded-glass brought him the greatest recognition… Tiffany and his early rival, John La Farge, revolutionized the look of stained glass, which had remained essentially unchanged since medieval times when craftsmen utilized flat panes of white and colored glass with details painted with glass paints before firing and leading.” (Alice F. & Monica O, 2007) Tiffany although known for different types of art mediums, created a name for himself and eve a competition atmosphere within this new era of glasswork he inspired in The United States. Where many techniques were developed and adopted by glass artisans who became known for their take on that specific technique of glass art making.

Although Louis Tiffany was very famous and known for his work, many years later Tiffany studies would declare itself bankrupted and no one will see Tiffany Studios in the same light of success like when Louis Tiffany was alive. it wasn't after 21st century came a round where scholars and artist started to rediscover Tiffany Studios and the actual impact they had on the Production of glass work in the United States, as well as the art scene.

Ownership

The Sunset Scene by Tiffany Studios was a gift to the MAG museum collection in memory of Mr. and Mrs. Thomas B. Dunn by their family in 2002."Thomas B. Dunn, a business and community leader who, after making his fortune from the liquorice-flavoured mouth freshener, Sen, served as State Treasurer and Congressman" to the United States. While Tiffany windows have a unique aspect to each one of them, not everyone from the time they were most popular were able to afford Tiffany stuidos art. This type of art was a luxurious thing that people who had the funds to afford these pieces they could indulge in. These pieces give a individuals who own or buy these pieces a social and economic stating in society.