Designing the Gilded Age

An in-depth study of the design drawings for Louis Comfort Tiffany’s celebrated stained-glass windows, lamps, mosaics, and interiors

Designing the Gilded Age goes behind the scenes of some of the era’s most iconic designs, presenting 150 rarely seen drawings by the artists who worked in the studios of Louis Comfort Tiffany. While recognizing Tiffany’s own artistry, it highlights the contributions of other designers, including women and immigrants, whose identities have been subsumed under the Tiffany name. Many of these design drawings—for stained-glass windows, mosaics, and lighting, as well as domestic, religious, and public interiors destined for commissions across the US and internationally—were severely damaged over time and have been painstakingly restored to their full beauty. Some of the drawings are the only remaining evidence of works that were destroyed or never realized. In addition to beautiful photography of the recently conserved works on paper, the book includes images of works that are still extant, providing a unique opportunity to view the drawings and finished products side-by-side. Also discussed are discoveries made through technical analysis about the artistic process and the styles of individual designers; the influence of artistic patronage and religion in the design process; and the cultural priorities of the Gilded Age. 

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Exhibition Schedule:

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York

(October 19, 2026–February 7, 2027)