Tiffany Glass

It is impossible to estimate exactly how many stained glass artists have existed throughout history. One thing can be stated with certainty, however: there is no name that is more intricately connected to the art of stained glass than Louis Comfort Tiffany. Born in 1848, Tiffany was the creator of gorgeous art glass windows and lamps as well as the glass used to fabricate these works. Below is a brief overview of the importance of both Tiffany glass and its creator to art glass windows and the movement known as Art Nouveau.
One reason why Tiffany windows are notable is that they represent an alternative to painted art glass windows. With his innovations in glass production techniques, Tiffany was able to achieve most of the effects seen in painted works without applying enamels or stains. In other words, the textures, shading, and color combination's were integral parts of the art glass used in the creation of Tiffany windows. Many Tiffany windows resemble paintings created with oils or watercolors.

The diversity of textures and colors found in Tiffany windows is a remarkable aspect of these art glass windows, and this characteristic is a result of the many different types of glass developed by Louis Comfort. Relying on his training as a painter and his knowledge of the stained glass manufacturing process, he was able to create and patent his signature Favrile glass, which is both iridescent and slightly opaque. Other creations used in the production of Tiffany windows are: streamer glass, which has a surface onto which strings of glass are attached; fracture glass, which is highly textured and characterized by surface wafers; and ripple glass, which has a surface embellished with textured waves.