Find A Breathtaking World Of Color Through This Historical Glass Mosaic In Pennsylvania

Hanging in the lobby of The Curtis Publishing Company in Philadelphia is proof positive of the maxim: "the sum is greater than the parts." And when the parts are American legends Maxfield Parrish and Louis Comfort Tiffany, the result is a dream — or rather, "The Dream Garden." In fact, so astonishing is the 16x50-foot glass mosaic that more than 80 years after its unveiling in 1916, it caused a second sensation when casino owner Steve Wynn attempted to purchase and move it to Las Vegas. Aghast at the prospect of losing such a work of art and point of pride, the city rallied, with Philadelphia Historical Commission designating it a "historic object" and the Philadelphia Inquirer calling the sale akin to "tearing out the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel for the highest bidder."

Fortunately, Philadelphia — one of the most underrated cities in America — prevailed in the end, and "The Dream Garden" continues to hang in the Curtis building and amaze at all angles. Step back from the piece, and the Maxfield Parrish fantasy landscape of budding flowers, twisting trees, jagged mountains, and flowing water appears like a scene in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream." Move up close, and hundreds of thousands of iridescent Tiffany glass tesserae in more than 260 color tones form a fabric of craftsmanship equal to any wonder of the world. It also fits in well with the lush botanical beauty of America's garden capital, including the hidden garden at the Shofuso Japanese House. 

In the early 20^th century, The Curtis Publishing Company was riding high, with many of the country's top magazines on its roster, including "The Saturday Evening Post" and "Ladies' Home Journal." This success was channeled into the construction of the Beaux-Arts Georgian Revival building in 1911 with a goal of bringing public art and culture together. So the company commissioned "The Dream Garden" for the lobby, combining the talents of illustrious American illustrator Maxfield Parrish and glass master Louis Comfort Tiffany. It took Tiffany workers more than a year to make the piece, after which it was broken down into 16 panels and transported from New York City to Philadelphia, where it took six months to install.

The fragility has led to occasional problems. During building renovations in 2016, the vibrations from a large, dropping piece of concrete caused the panels to shift and some glass to crack. But the biggest danger was its proposed sale to Steve Wynn in 1998. It was finally resolved in 2001, when the Pew Charitable Trusts (PCT) bought out the interest of the owners, the Merriam estate. The mural was then turned over to the Pennsylvania Academy of the Fine Arts but remains in the Curtis building. As PCT president, Rebecca W. Rimel, stated at the time, "We are pleased to be able to work with area cultural and academic institutions and the Merriam estate to assure such a great masterpiece will remain on public display in Philadelphia for the benefit of all generations to come." Although the Curtis building is now an apartment building, visitors can enter the lobby through the South 6th Street door to see "The Dream Garden" daily, from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m.