Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art in Bentonville, Arkansas, has acquired a monumental stained-glass window created by Tiffany Studios in 1917. The window, titled “Mountain Landscape (Root Memorial Window),” measures approximately nine feet tall by seven feet wide. Tiffany Studios commissioned the window as a memorial to Joseph Cullen Root, the founder of Woodmen of the World.
The design is attributed to Agnes F. Northrop, a lead designer who worked for Tiffany Studios for half a century. Jen Padgett, curator of craft at Crystal Bridges, highlighted the window’s immersive quality.
“It has an immersive quality and will be illuminated from the back, offering a dynamic view alongside landscape paintings by other artists,” Padgett said. The window features intricate layers of stained glass that create a kaleidoscope of colors and textures. Tiffany Studios windows are rarely found in major museums due to their delicate nature and site-specific attributes.
The “Root Memorial Window” was initially installed at the headquarters of Woodmen of the World in Omaha, Nebraska, in 1917. In 1931, it was moved to San Antonio, Texas, to anchor Fraser Chapel at a tuberculosis hospital that Woodmen of the World was building.
Historic Tiffany window acquisition
After the hospital closed and its building was razed, the window was acquired by Sunset Ridge Church of Christ in 1959, where it remained for over five decades. The decision to relocate the window was influenced by the need to renovate the Fraser Chapel and make it ADA compliant. Taylor Bates, deputy director of Sunset Ridge Collective, explained that the window was seen as a museum-quality object that required professional care and broader public access.
“The Mountain Landscape window has shaped the soul of our community for nearly a century—and now, it will continue to inspire far beyond our walls. We’re grateful to have been part of its story,” Bates said. Bryant J.
Stanton, a stained-glass restorer based in Waco, Texas, recommended Crystal Bridges as a suitable new home for the window. The museum started the acquisition process following a site visit by Padgett, which was completed at the end of last year. The window will undergo conservation at Ariana Makau’s Nzilani Glass Conservation studio in Oakland, California.
The process involves cleaning layers of dirt and addressing any damage accrued over the years. Once conservation is complete, the “Mountain Landscape (Root Memorial Window)” will be displayed at the Crystal Bridges Museum of American Art, allowing a new audience to appreciate its historical and artistic significance. The museum is currently undergoing an expansion project slated to be completed by 2026, its 15th anniversary.
