The Morse Museum in Orlando, Florida houses a collection of art nouveau works from American artists, and has a very large collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany and Tiffany Studios, including stained glass windows, lamps, vases, jewelry, mosaics, paintings, and furniture.
The ornate byzantine inspired chapel was originally shown at the Chicago World’s Columbian Exposition in 1893. After being dismantled, it was purchased by Celia Whipple Wallace. For 12 years, it was used as a chapel in the basement crypt of St John the Divine Cathedral (I have visited the crypt! Click here for photos). It features 150,000 squares of glass set in vibrant mosaics, and other materials used include mother of pearl, sapphires, topazes, and pieces of pearl. Unfortunately the chapel sustained some water damage, and Louis C Tiffany offered to remove it. On the tour of the crypt, it was mentioned that the new architect of the church, Ralph Adams Cram, wasn’t a fan of Tiffanys work and pushed for its removal. After its removal, it was moved to Tiffany’s estate. 16 years after ihis death, the Tiffany Foundation started selling portions to institutions in the region. The large chandelier featured in one of the drawings of the chapel from the World’s Columbian Exposition is now in the Church of the Covenant in Boston designed by Tiffany Studios, which I have also seen in person. After the Charles Homer Morse Museum was established, the chapel was moved here, as there was a fire at Tiffany’s estate.
