First off, the ladies had to check out the sale items at the rather posh stores. Then we had lunch at Boca Restaurant before we headed for The Morse - full name, The Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American Art.
Morse was the head of Fairbanks, Morse & Co., which manufactured machinery during the industrialization of the continent in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. His winter and retirement home was Winter Park and he made many philanthropic gifts to the city. His granddaughter, Jeanette McKean continued that tradition and founded the Museum in 1942, which carries on without public funds thanks to the foundation she set up.
The Museum had a few Tiffany items in its collection. As a student, Hugh McKean had studied in Tiffany's studio at his huge mansion on Long Island before Tiffany died (1933) and had long admired the painter, sculptor, architect, interior designer and glass genius.
In 1957 he got a call from one of Tiffany's daughters. The mansion, which had been derelict for several years, had burned down. Much of Tiffany's collection was damaged or destroyed and she hoped that McKean could salvage some for the museum.
The task was enormous, but they salvaged what they could and spent a few years repairing, reconstructing and installing the works in the Museum.
The first major work was a Chapel that Tiffany had designed and created for the Chicago World Exposition in 1893.
Other stained glass windows were displayed.
And other special treatments.
A recreation of the dining room of his mansion, Laurelton Hall, is included.
There are dozens of stained glass windows, Tiffany lamps, vases, paintings, and other examples of his work.
The "Tree of Life" was his final effort.
Altogether, an awesome collection! We are really happy each year to have new guests to introduce to the Museum. There is always a new exhibit or two to see, and you never tire of admiring the work of a true genius.
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