Come Unto Me depicts a beatific Jesus standing with outstretched arms in the foreground of a lustrous landscape of mountains, a lake, and cypress trees. Earlier this month the Board of All Sould Church agreed to sell the window to the Lyman Allyn Art Museum, thereby insuring that it will continue to be able to be viewed by the public. D. Samuel Quigley, Director of the Lyman Allyn notes, "The acquisition of this glorious work of art by one of America's most treasured designer/artists is a major event in our institution's history and one that will make a dramatic impact on our collection." He goes on to say, "We are honored to be working with the All Souls Congregation to keep this treasure here in New London, ensuring that it remains available for all in our community to enjoy for generations to come."
By stepping forward to purchase the window, the Lyman Allyn Art Museum has committed to providing gallery space and special care for the window. Come Unto Me will be an extremely important new addition to the Museum's collection, complementing the dozens of small vessels and wares by Tiffany that are already housed in the Lyman Allyn. The Museum plans to install the Tiffany window in a special gallery celebrating the art of Louis Comfort Tiffany and his connection to New London. "We look forward to creating a beautiful gallery which will present the compelling story of Tiffany's artistry and his place in New London's history. Envision a darkened gallery with the brilliant rear-illuminated stained glass window as its centerpiece. With other works and text panels for context, the learning possibilities are nearly boundless," said Quigley.
By a fortuitous set of circumstances, there is a long history of the Tiffany family in the City of New London, and an accompanying large concentration of Tiffany stained-glass windows. Annie Olivia Tiffany Mitchell, sister of Louis Comfort Tiffany, married Alfred Mitchell and made their summer home overlooking the Thames River in New London. Their estate is now the site of Mitchell College. Mitchell and Tiffany became acquainted with members of the local community, and many commissions for stained-glass windows consequently came their way. Louis Comfort Tiffany designed five large windows for St. James Episcopal Church and other impressive windows for the Palmer Mausoleum in Cedar Grove Cemetery, the Pequot Chapel, and the Lighthouse Inn.
Lyman Allyn's acquisition of Louis Comfort Tiffany's Come Unto Me keeps this cherished treasure in New London, and furthers the Museum's commitment to serve as a cultural, educational and community resource for the people of Southeastern Connecticut. The Tiffany window will stand as a unique source of inspiration and learning about the decorative arts for the Museum's visitors and will strengthen their sense of history, aesthetics, and civic pride by forever connecting Tiffany's artistic legacy with the story of New London.
Lyman Allyn Art Museum is a distinguished art museum located in New London, CT. Founded in 1932 by Harriet Upson Allyn in memory of her father, Lyman Allyn, the museum serves the people of and visitors to Southeastern CT and general admission is always free to New London residents. Housed in a handsome Neo-Classical building designed by Charles A. Platt, the permanent collection includes over 10,000 objects from ancient times to the present: artworks from Africa, Asia, the Americas, and Europe, with particularly strong collections of American paintings, decorative arts, and Victorian toys and doll houses.
The museum is located at 625 Williams Street, New London, CT-Exit 83 off I-95. Hours of operation are Tuesday through Saturday, 10am to 5pm and Sundays 1 to 5pm. It is closed Mondays and major holidays.
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