Conserving Tiffany's Gilded Age Drawings at the Met Museum

The Met Museum is currently hosting an exhibition titled Designing the Gilded Age: Drawings from the Studios of Louis C. Tiffany, which features nearly 120 luminous watercolor drawings created by designers in Tiffany's studios.

These drawings, dating from the mid-1880s to the 1920s, were intended for commissions in the U.S. and internationally, and represent the first step in the artistic process for interiors and decorations of grand mansions, civic and sacred spaces, and other buildings during America's Gilded Age.

The exhibition also includes stained-glass windows, mosaics, enamelwork, and iconic lamps, displayed alongside their original designs, allowing visitors to see the journey from conception to finished product.

The featured drawings, all from The Met collection, have been restored to their full beauty through a decades-long conservation initiative, and offer new insights into the artists' process and design inspiration.

This exhibition matters to listeners because it provides a unique opportunity to explore the creative process behind some of the most iconic works of the Gilded Age.