Ripple Glass: The Texture of Movement

Louis Comfort Tiffany strove to imitate nature as faithfully as possible without using paint. To create the suggestion of flowing water or drifting clouds, he developed Ripple Glass: glass with a wavy, three-dimensional surface.

[Image showing the wavy, rippled surface texture of Tiffany Ripple Glass]

How the effect is created

During the production process, the molten glass was manipulated with rollers or hand tools to create ripples. When light passes through this glass, it is refracted in different ways due to the varying thickness of the material. This makes the glass appear 'alive'; as you move as a spectator, the water in the glass also seems to move.

Ripple Glass was frequently used in:

• Water Lily lampshades: For the ponds in which the lilies float.
• Landscape windows: To represent the depth of the sky or babbling brooks.

Also discover: The technique of Streamer Glass for 'drawing' grass and branches.