Studies of Magnolias

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Medium

Graphite, watercolor, and ink on brown wove paper

Dimensions

Overall: 6 13/16 x 20 1/8 in. (17.3 x 51.1 cm) Design: 6 13/16 x 18 13/16 in. (17.3 x 47.8 cm) Matted: 16 x 22 in. (40.6 x 55.9 cm)

Classification

Drawing

Culture

American

Department

The American Wing

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Gift of Tiffany & Co., 1985

Accession Number

1985.1101.3

Tags

FlowersLeaves

Art Historical Context

Nestled in The Metropolitan Museum of Art's American Wing, *Studies of Magnolias* (1891) by Tiffany & Co. offers a delicate glimpse into the design workshops of one of America's premier luxury firms. Created with graphite, watercolor, and ink on brown wove paper, this preparatory sheet measures about 6 13/16 x 20 1/8 inches and captures multiple views of magnolia flowers and leaves in intricate detail. Donated by Tiffany & Co. itself in 1985, it highlights the company's mastery of nature-inspired motifs during the Gilded Age. These studies exemplify the meticulous process behind Tiffany's ren...

About the Artist

Tiffany & Co. · 1837present

Tiffany & Co., founded on September 18, 1837, by Charles Lewis Tiffany and John B. Young in New York City as a stationery and fancy goods store, quickly evolved into a premier American house for jewelry and decorative arts. Under Charles's leadership, the firm introduced innovations like the sterling silver standard in 1851 and the iconic six-prong Tiffany Setting engagement ring in 1886, establis...

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