Edward C. Moore (182791) was the creative force who led Tiffany & Co. to unparalleled originality and success during the second half of the 19th century. He also amassed a vast collection of decorative arts of exceptional quality and in various media, from Greek and Roman glass and Japanese baskets to metalwork from the Islamic world. The objects were a source of inspiration for Moore, a noted silversmith in his own right, as well as the designers he supervised. The exhibition Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co.opens Sunday, June 9, and will feature more than 180 extraordinary examples from Moores personal collection, which he bequeathed to The Met, alongside 70 magnificent silver objects designed at Tiffany & Co. under his direction. Drawn primarily from the museums holdings, the display will also include seldom-seen examples from a dozen private and public lenders. A defining figure in the history of American silver, Moore played a pivotal role in shaping the legendary Tiffany design aesthetic and the evolution of the Mets collection. The exhibition is made possible by Tiffany & Co. and will run until Oct. 20 in Gallery 199. The exhibition will position Tiffany & Co. works in dialogue with relevant groupings of objects that Moore collected. Highlights will include the world-famous Bryant Vase (1876), which was the first example of American silver to enter the Met collection and incorporates classical Greek, Renaissance Revival, and Aesthetic movement elements; a silver pitcher (1874) accented with an exquisitely cast elephant head that serves as an example of Tiffany & Co.s engagement with works of art from the Islamic world and the Indian subcontinent; and a recently acquired silver, copper, gold, and silver-copper-zinc alloy vase (1879) that draws technical and aesthetic inspiration from Japanese ceramics, lacquerware, and metalwork. These juxtapositions will offer the public an enlightening glimpse into the sources of inspiration and working methods of a defining figure in the history of American silver. The range of Moores collection will be represented through such diverse objects as a 5th-century B.C. Greek vase, 1st-century Roman glass unguentarium (perfume bottle), 13th-century Syrian enameled glass bowl, ca. 1500 Spanish luster-painted earthenware dish; 18th-century Murano (Venetian) glass cup; 19th-century Japanese lacquered box, and a 19th-century Caucasian (probably Georgian) dagger. After Moores death, more than 2,000 objects and hundreds of books from his pioneering collection were donated to the Met, where they continue to inspire and educate artists and the broader public. The relationship between Moore and the Met is an important chapter in the story of American art and design education. Credits and Related Content Collecting Inspiration: Edward C. Moore at Tiffany & Co. is curated by Medill Higgins Harvey, Ruth Bigelow Wriston curator of American decorative arts and manager, The Henry R. Luce Center for the Study of American Art, the Met. For more information, visit www.metmuseum.org.