Memory

In late 1929, Tiffany Studios was granted a copyright for the design of a monument dedicated to the Betzinger family of Fort Plain, New York. In the form of a Greek temple of love, the monument was circular with six Ionic columns holding up a domed roof. The Memory mosaic was centered between two columns and took up about one quarter of the monument. Memory is depicted as a woman holding up a torch. The design of the mosaic may have been based on Dante Gabriel Rossetti’s Mnemosyne painting.
In creating mosaics, Tiffany was inspired by Byzantine churches that he had seen during his travels in Europe. He improved upon the tradition by using the innovative techniques of modeling and shading to produce a wide range of colors within glass. He also cut glass into different shapes to enhance the pictorial qualities.

Helen Holt Betzinger, a prominent resident of Albany, New York, designated most of her estate for the creation of a family memorial. The monument was installed at Fort Plain Cemetery in 1929, two years after her own death. Her cousins made news when they threatened to contest the will based on what they saw as the exorbitant cost of the memorial. They received nothing under the terms of the will.