Collection Online as of March 23, 2023

Spider and Web Table Lamp

c. 1902–20

maker

Tiffany Studios

(American, New York, 1902–1932)

America, New York, early 20th Century

Leaded glass, bronze

Diameter: 38.2 cm (15 1/16 in.); Overall: 45 cm (17 11/16 in.)

Bequest of Charles Maurer 2018.277

Location

not on view

Fun Fact

The base of this lamp resembles an upturned mushroom.

Description

The dawn of the 20th century spurred fresh approaches to design. Louis Comfort Tiffany’s great contribution to this new art movement, termed the Art Nouveau, was not only the shimmering iridescence of his Favrile glass but also the naturalistic compositions of his lamps and windows, which brought him commercial and critical success in both Europe and America. Symbolic themes, such as the lurking spider in his web of this lamp, were a hallmark of Tiffany's Art Nouveau design.

Inscriptions

Inscription

Shade impressed: TIFFANY STUDIOS NEW YORK 1424

Inscription

Base impressed: TIFFANY STUDIOS/NEW YORK/337/ 2844 [scratched]

Tiffany Studios

American jewelry and glass manufactory, 1902-1932

Provenance

?–2018

Charles Maurer [1929-2016], Cleveland, OH, bequest to the Cleveland Museum of Art

2018–

The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Citations

Harrison, Stephen, Emmanuel Ducamp, and Jeannine J. Falino. Artistic Luxury: Fabergé Tiffany Lalique. Cleveland, OH: Cleveland Museum of Art in association with, New Haven, CT: Yale University Press, 2008. Reproduced: Pg. 306; Discussed: Pg. 304; Mentioned: Pg. 340 (Cat. No. 299)

Exhibition history

Artistic Luxury: Fabergé Tiffany Lalique . The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 19, 2008-January 18, 2009); Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, San Francisco, CA (February 7-May 31, 2009).

Tiffany in Bloom: Stained Glass Lamps of Louis Comfort Tiffany. The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (organizer) (October 20, 2019-June 14, 2020).