Peacocks and Peonies I

Copied John La Farge, Peacocks and Peonies I, 1882, stained glass window, frame: 112 x 51 1⁄4 x 6 1⁄2 in. (284.5 x 130.3 x 16.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Henry A. La Farge, 1936.12.1
Free to use

Artwork Details

Title
Peacocks and Peonies I
Artist
Date
1882
Location
Dimensions
frame: 112 x 51 1⁄4 x 6 1⁄2 in. (284.5 x 130.3 x 16.5 cm)
Credit Line
Gift of Henry A. La Farge
Mediums
Mediums Description
stained glass window
Classifications
Subjects
  • Object — flower — peony
  • Animal — bird — peacock
Object Number
1936.12.1
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/1936.12.1

Artwork Description

La Farge's stained-glass windows reflect the Gilded Age fascination with medieval art and craftsmanship. The industrial revolution had made inexpensive, mass-produced glass available to anyone, but art glass remained an emblem of wealth and good taste. These windows were commissioned by Frederick Lothrop Ames, a railroad magnate who had them installed in the vast, baronial hall of his Boston house.

The tail feathers of the peacocks are made of bits of glass in the "broken jewel" technique; each peony blossom is a single piece of glass molded to catch the light differently through the day. La Farge layered his colored glass as a painter would build glazes of colors to achieve the right shade. For the composition, he borrowed from many cultures: the central panels with the bird and flower motif evoke Chinese and Japanese screens; the lower panels emulate Pompeian architecture; and the transoms above recall the tympanum above the door to a Romanesque cathedral.

Exhibition Label, Smithsonian American Art Museum, 2006

Publication Label

This pair of stained-glass windows by John La Farge reflects the Gilded Age's fascination with medieval art and craftsmanship. These windows were commissioned by Frederick Lothrop Ames, a railroad magnate who had them installed in the vast, opulent hall of his Boston home. For this composition, La Farge borrowed from many cultures: the central panels evoke Chinese and Japanese screens; the lower panels emulate Pompeian architecture; and the transoms recall the tympanum above the door of a Romanesque cathedral.

Smithsonian American Art Museum: Commemorative Guide. Nashville, TN: Beckon Books, 2015.