Tiffany's ”Wisteria” lamp at auction at Phillips New York

The famous table lamp Wisteria from a private collection in Miami Beach will be auctioned today, December 13 by Phillips New Y with an estimate of 450-650 thousand dollars.

The wisteria flower is deeply associated with Louis Comfort Tiffany through his home, Laurelton Hall, as well as through his leaded glass windows where they often appeared as a framing, glittering backdrop, or the main event. Tiffany anchored himself to the artistic trends of the time through his impressionistic interpretation of the flowering vine native to East Asia.

The design of the 'Wisteria' lamp offered so many opportunities for artistic expression and indeed the shape was interpreted in a myriad of color combinations.

This example shows a selection of highly naturalistic glass that reflects the true colors of the wisteria flower. On a ground of softly mottled pink, oyster white, and pale silvery lavender, its deep purple flowers are punctuated by cerulean lower petals. The subtle tapered shapes of the individual flowers are delicately molded into individual panels.

This pictorial depiction of the various types of wisteria brings to mind the tunnels of Kawachi's Fuji Jasmine Garden in Kitakyushu, Japan with its alternating arches of wisteria in varied colors. A wreath containing emerald and streaked amber leaves forms a sharp composition as it descends on a delicate floral curtain. With this thoughtful treatment, the blue hues of the sky are diffused into the shadows, a dynamic effect created by the light from the violet glass shining through the more translucent panels.