Creative Commons License
Creative Commons License
Iris Corsage Ornament
(18th and 19th Centuries , Jewelry)
At the turn of the 20th century Tiffany and Co. produced a number of fabulous, realistic floral brooches. This extravagant example, exhibited at the Paris Exposition Universelle (World's Fair) of 1900 as part of a display intended to highlight the mineral wealth of the United States, was designed by Paulding Farnham. The gems for the blossom were selected by George Frederick Kunz, a renowned geologist and gemologist who worked for Tiffany.
Inscription
Provenance
Provenance (from the French provenir, 'to come from/forth') is the chronology of the ownership, custody, or location of a historical object. Learn more about provenance at the Walters.
Created by Tiffany & Co., New York; 1900 "Paris Exposition Universelle," Paris, 1900; purchased by Henry Walters, Baltimore, 1900; by bequest to Walters Art Museum, 1931.
Exhibitions
| 2014-2016 | From Rye to Raphael: The Walters Story. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 2012-2014 | Inventing the Modern World: Decorative Arts at World's Fairs, 1851-1939. The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City; Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans; Mint Museum of Art Uptown, Charlotte. |
| 2010 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry. El Paso Museum of Art, El Paso. |
| 2006-2009 | Bedazzled: 5,000 Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Museum. Frist Center for the Visual Arts, Nashville; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota; The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. |
| 2002-2004 | A Magnificent Age: Masterpieces from the Walters Art Museum, Baltimore. The Walters Art Museum, Baltimore; The Nelson-Atkins Museum of Art, Kansas City; Mint Museum of Art, Charlotte. |
| 1987-1988 | Tiffany: 150 Years of Gems and Jewelry. The Field Museum, Chicago. |
| 1984-1987 | Objects of Adornment: Five Thousand Years of Jewelry from the Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. Cooper-Hewitt National Design Museum, New York; Chrysler Museum of Art, Norfolk; Carnegie Museum of Art, Pittsburgh; San Antonio Museum of Art, San Antonio; Philbrook Museum of Art, Tulsa; Honolulu Academy of Arts, Honolulu; New Orleans Museum of Art, New Orleans; Milwaukee Art Museum, Milwaukee; Minneapolis Institute of Art, Minneapolis; Toledo Museum of Art, Toledo; The John and Mable Ringling Museum of Art, Sarasota. |
| 1987 | Jewelry from the Walters Art Gallery and the Zucker Family Collection. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
| 1979-1980 | Jewelry - Ancient to Modern. The Walters Art Gallery, Baltimore. |
Conservation
| Date | Description | Narrative |
|---|---|---|
| 3/2/2012 | Examination | Examined for loan |
| 3/2/2012 | Examination | The iris brooch was designed by Paulding Farnham and gems selected by George Kunz for Tiffany. The brooch was shown at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle. Each type of gemstone is set in a specific metal alloy chosen to enhance the gemstone. The Montana sapphires are set into blued steel. The diamonds are set in platinum. The topaz stones are set in 24 karat gold. The demantoid or green garnets are set in a more standard gold, silver and copper alloy. The stem is cast from lemon gold, a gold alloy with silver added. |
Geographies
USA, New York, New York
(Place of Origin)
USA, Montana (Source of Materials)
Measurements
H: 9 1/2 x W: 2 11/16 x D: 1 1/4 in. (24.1 x 6.9 x 3.18 cm)
Credit Line
Acquired by Henry Walters, 1900
Accession Number
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
In libraries, galleries, museums, and archives, an accession number is a unique identifier assigned to each object in the collection.
57.939
