Used throughout ancient Greece as a decorative element on architecture, clothing and weaponry, the “Greek Key” motif actually predates the Greeks. The design can be found adorning Egyptian tombs, ancient Peruvian weaving, Chinese buildings, and on Aztec sculpture. It was the Greeks however, who made the design their own. As a symbol of infinity and unity, it is a motif that can look classic and modern, and is still a major design element in decorative arts and furnishings today.
Tiffany Studios created several sizes of stained glass shade with the Greek Key motif. The large 22″ Greek Key shade can be used as a table lamp, chandelier or on a floor base. We created this example for a client in Virginia in 2009, and it was the last project we finished at our former studio space in downtown Minneapolis. Once completed, we started packing everything up to move to our current St. Paul location.