Queens Museum of Art

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The Neustadt Collection Of Tiffany Art

Louis Comfort Tiffany (American, 1848-1933) was one of the foremost decorative artists of his time. His father, Charles Lewis Tiffany, was the co-founder of Tiffany & Company, the luxury retailer best known for fine silver and jewelry. At an early age Tiffany was exposed to superbly-designed and exp... [ + ]ertly-crafted objets d’art, undoubtedly stimulating his love and appreciation for exceptional objects and setting him on a self-proclaimed “quest for beauty.”

Tiffany began his career as a landscape painter but eventually branched out into interior design and the decorative arts. Over the years he formed a number of companies in both Manhattan and Queens that manufactured leaded-glass windows, lamps, mosaics, glassware, enamels, ceramics, metalwork, furniture, and textiles. These works were available at his Manhattan showroom and in fine retail and jewelry stores throughout the United States and Europe.

Special commissions were an important part of Tiffany’s businesses. Many of his clients were wealthy, socially-prominent families seeking unique objects and interiors for their lavish homes. Churches also ordered elaborate interiors, including windows, lighting fixtures, mosaics, and ecclesiastical furniture. Some examples of these interiors can still be seen in New York City.

The Panorama of the City of New York

The Panorama is the jewel in the crown of the collection of the Queens Museum of Art. Built by Robert Moses for the 1964 World’s Fair, in part as a celebration of the City’s municipal infrastructure, this 9,335 square foot architectural model includes every single building constructed before 1992 in... [ + ] all five boroughs; that is a total of 895,000 individual structures.

The Panorama was built by a team of 100 people working for the great architectural model makers Raymond Lester Associates in the three years before the opening of the 1964 World’s Fair. In planning the model, Lester Associates referred to aerial photographs, insurance maps, and a range of other City material; the Panorama had to be accurate, indeed the initial contract demanded less than one percent margin of error between reality and the model. The Panorama was one of the most successful attractions at the ‘64 Fair with a daily average of 1,400 people taking advantage of its 9 minute simulated helicopter ride around the City.

In 2006 an up-grade of the lighting system - the first change to the model since 1992 - allowed for the Panorama to be displayed in different light conditions; highlight different buildings or areas of the City; and even recreate the sounds of the city. And, in the Spring of 2009 the Museum launched its Adopt-A-Building program with the installation of the Panorama’s newest addition, Citi Field, to continue for the ongoing care and maintenance of this beloved treasure.

The Neustadt Collection Of Tiffany Art

Louis Comfort Tiffany (American, 1848-1933) was one of the foremost decorative artists of his time. His father, Charles Lewis Tiffany, was the co-founder of Tiffany & Company, the luxury retailer best known for fine silver and jewelry. At an early age Tiffany was exposed to superbly-designed and exp... [ + ]ertly-crafted objets d’art, undoubtedly stimulating his love and appreciation for exceptional objects and setting him on a self-proclaimed “quest for beauty.”

Tiffany began his career as a landscape painter but eventually branched out into interior design and the decorative arts. Over the years he formed a number of companies in both Manhattan and Queens that manufactured leaded-glass windows, lamps, mosaics, glassware, enamels, ceramics, metalwork, furniture, and textiles. These works were available at his Manhattan showroom and in fine retail and jewelry stores throughout the United States and Europe.

Special commissions were an important part of Tiffany’s businesses. Many of his clients were wealthy, socially-prominent families seeking unique objects and interiors for their lavish homes. Churches also ordered elaborate interiors, including windows, lighting fixtures, mosaics, and ecclesiastical furniture. Some examples of these interiors can still be seen in New York City.

The Panorama of the City of New York

The Panorama is the jewel in the crown of the collection of the Queens Museum of Art. Built by Robert Moses for the 1964 World’s Fair, in part as a celebration of the City’s municipal infrastructure, this 9,335 square foot architectural model includes every single building constructed before 1992 in... [ + ] all five boroughs; that is a total of 895,000 individual structures.

The Panorama was built by a team of 100 people working for the great architectural model makers Raymond Lester Associates in the three years before the opening of the 1964 World’s Fair. In planning the model, Lester Associates referred to aerial photographs, insurance maps, and a range of other City material; the Panorama had to be accurate, indeed the initial contract demanded less than one percent margin of error between reality and the model. The Panorama was one of the most successful attractions at the ‘64 Fair with a daily average of 1,400 people taking advantage of its 9 minute simulated helicopter ride around the City.

In 2006 an up-grade of the lighting system - the first change to the model since 1992 - allowed for the Panorama to be displayed in different light conditions; highlight different buildings or areas of the City; and even recreate the sounds of the city. And, in the Spring of 2009 the Museum launched its Adopt-A-Building program with the installation of the Panorama’s newest addition, Citi Field, to continue for the ongoing care and maintenance of this beloved treasure.