“I like to think that there are three types of art: visual art, performing art, and what we do, which is living art,” says Jennifer Rominiecki, President and CEO of Marie Selby Botanical Gardens. “There’s really no greater art form than nature, which is why so many world renowned artists have used it as inspiration,” she adds. That concept will be highlighted in Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature, which will arrive at Marie Selby Botanical Gardens in February 2023 as the next installment of the Jean and Alfred Goldstein Exhibition Series. This iteration of the annual exhibition series, which explores the works of major artists through their connection to nature, will focus on American artist and designer Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933), founder of the decorative arts company Tiffany Studios and the first design director of his family’s iconic luxury jewelry retailer Tiffany and Co.

TIFFANY WINDOW, IMAGES COURTESY OF MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS.

Although Tiffany began his career as a painter, his name became synonymous with the Art Nouveau movement through his work –his use of the “copper foil” technique allowed him to pioneer a unique style of stained glass that featured a level of detail never before seen in the industry. That style was evidenced through the products of Tiffany Studios from their stained glass windows, mosaic installations, luxury items, and most notably, Tiffany Lamps—which featured camed glass shades and have become synonymous with all stained glass lamps, regardless of their production origin.

TIFFANY LABERNUM LAMP, IMAGES COURTESY OF MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS.

“Our museum will feature samples of Tiffany’s work such as the renowned lamps, a mosaic, a stained glass window, and other objects. Throughout the Tropical Conservatory and Downtown campus, our horticulture team will draw inspiration from the kaleidoscope of colors in Tiffany’s work to create concepts and vignettes with the flowers and foliage,” says Rominiecki.

TIFFANY WINDOW, IMAGES COURTESY OF MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDENS.

Although much of Tiffany’s work was inspired by the natural world, many of his lamp-shade designs mimic flora and fauna. Tiffany: The Pursuit of Beauty in Nature will mark the first time that Tiffany’s work has been shown in a botanical setting. “We like to reveal surprising connections–in this case, I was rather surprised that Tiffany had not been shown in a garden setting before because if you look at his works, they really do highlight all natural motifs,” attests Rominiecki.

Another surprising connection the exhibition will explore is the significance of the “Tiffany Girls”—a group of unnamed and until recently, uncredited female artisans who worked under Tiffany. These artisans were encouraged to draw inspiration from the natural world and proved critical to carrying out Tiffany’s vision. “We want to present a new way of looking at the artist. While Tiffany was brilliant, he also had this collaborative relationship with these phenomenally skilled women artisans. It’s important to present what actually transpired,” says Rominiecki.