Design for diffusing light for McKinley Residence, Wheeling, West Virginia
Louis C. Tiffany American
Tiffany Studios
Not on view
This skylight was intended for the ceiling of a library within a grand home. A bust of Homer anchors one part of the border with an inscription indicating that the space to the left would depict Dante. While these literary references enhance the function of the room, the preponderance of undecorated glass in the central field allowed light needed for studying and working. Inscribed in pencil below this design is the notation “design for diffusing light,” indicating the primary function of this skylight. Designers at Tiffany Studios intended to fill the spaces between the leaded mullions with opalescent glass, which worked to diffuse direct sunlight from above. Sunlight, filtered through windows, was considered less tiring for the eyes while working and reading than the new artificial illumination.
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