The Yale University Art Gallery is showcasing its magnificent Mabel Brady Garvan Glass Collection in a student-curated exhibition that feels fresh and contemporary. The accompanying catalogue goes a long way to add flesh to the stories behind these objects, beginning with the history of Francis P. Garvan and his evolution as a major 20th century collector. The son of prosperous Irish immigrants, Garvan was born and reared in East Hartford and educated at Yale College. He went on to earn his law degree from New York University and today is perhaps best known for his role in prosecuting Harry Thaw in the murder of the architect Stanford White. He married into the Brady family of Albany, with his father-in-law the self-made titan of the Albany Gas Company. Upon his father-in-law’s death, Garvan had both the means and the resources by which to begin furnishing his home with fine glass and … [Read more...] about GLISTENING AND CONTEMPORARY: YALE CELEBRATES THE HISTORY OF AMERICAN GLASS