18 BOURGIE HALL 8. 9.
<strong>Music</strong> At <strong>Heart</strong> 19 EXCEPTIONAL TIFFANY WINDOWS Among the hall’s 81 stained glass windows, which were fully cleaned and restored, 20 come from the workshops of the Tiffany Glass and Decor<strong>at</strong>ing Company, including four huge windows nearly four metres high, which accentu<strong>at</strong>e <strong>Bourgie</strong> <strong>Hall</strong>’s spectacular look. These windows were commissioned in 1896 for the American Presbyterian Church on Dorchester Street (today René-Lévesque Boulevard) and were produced mainly between 1897 and 1904, during the heyday of the famous New York firm. Following the merger of the two Presbyterian communities (Erskine and American) in the 1930s, and the subsequent demolition of the American Presbyterian church which housed them, the stained-glass windows were reinstalled in the Erskine and American Church in 1937 and 1938. These stained-glass windows carry the name of the founder of the studio, New York artist Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848–1933), a leader in American design who became famous for his Art Nouveau cre<strong>at</strong>ions and the striking light effects of his pieces. A large team worked under Tiffany’s leadership to cre<strong>at</strong>e them, including Frederick Wilson, the studio’s artistic director for nearly 30 years. At least five of the windows can be safely <strong>at</strong>tributed to Wilson. The <strong>Bourgie</strong> <strong>Hall</strong> Tiffany windows constitute one of only two of the firm’s commissions for Canada and one of the few surviving religious series by Tiffany in North America. They are characterized by a milky glass with iridescent, opalesque reflections. An innov<strong>at</strong>ive permanent backlighting system has been added—a first, on this scale—allowing audiences to admire the beauty of the windows during concerts. <strong>Bourgie</strong> <strong>Hall</strong> is an exceptional setting in which to display these stained-glass windows, which are part of the collections of the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts. Their value in the visual arts and their importance in the history of art are undeniable. They contribute to the architectural beauty and unique <strong>at</strong>mosphere of <strong>Bourgie</strong> <strong>Hall</strong>. In 2010, they benefitted from an unprecedented restor<strong>at</strong>ion by Françoise Saliou, under the supervision of the MMFA. Fig. 8 Angel Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933), designed by Frederick Wilson (1858-1932), Angel, <strong>Bourgie</strong> <strong>Hall</strong>, MMFA (formerly the Erskine and American Church), 1904-1905, leaded glass, made by Tiffany Studios, New York. MMFA, purchase. Photo: MMFA, Christine Guest Fig. 9 Charity Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848-1933), designed by Thomas Calvert (1873- after 1934), Charity, <strong>Bourgie</strong> <strong>Hall</strong>, MMFA (formerly the Erskine and American Church), about 1901, leaded glass, made by Tiffany Glass and Decor<strong>at</strong>ing Co., New York. MMFA, purchase. Photo: MMFA, Christine Guest