Curator's Tour: Art Deco Glass

Curators take you on a new gallery tour each month, offering unique perspectives on all FWMoA exhibits. For April 2023, we explore the exhibit Art Deco Glass from the David Huchthausen Collection, on view from April 1 - August 6, 2023. The Art Deco period (c. 1910-1940), with its focus on simplified forms and captivating repeating surface treatments, was revolutionary. Inspired by other burgeoning modern art movements of the time including Cubism and Fauvism, the philosophy behind this style aimed to introduce high quality design to a broader market. The lasting influence of this period can still be seen in today’s Studio Glass movement in style and technique. For many decades, glass artist and collector David Huchthausen has collected with a keen and practiced eye. The quality and depth of his collection would be difficult, if not impossible, to replicate. His collecting history begins with the first pieces acquired while working as a graduate assistant to Harvey Littleton and continues today. The FWMoA is proud to display his remarkable collection of over 120 Art Deco glass works, which includes many major studios and artists of the period (René Lalique, Steuben Glass Works, Daum Nancy, and Pierre D’Avesn) concurrent with our permanent collection of contemporary glass. This exhibition is organized by the Museum of Glass in Tacoma, WA. Support for this exhibition at FWMoA is by the Edward D. and Ione Auer Foundation and the following donors to the 2022 Annual Fund: Patricia Adsit, Anonymous, G. Edwards, Bob and Melanie Hall, Linda and Jeff Radke, Judy K Roy, Clare Shoaff, Barbara and John Snider, Nancy and David Stewart, Donna and Robert Streeter, Karen and Art Surguine, Kathleen Summers, Mark Swaim, Lisa and Dick Teets, and Irene and Bob Walters.