"The carp or Japanaese Koi fish. swimming upstream valiantly against the current, symbolizes perseverance. During the last quarter of the 19th century, it swam around the world, trailed by schools of artists at every turn. At the same time that Louis Comfort Tiffany was designing a green bell lamp in the style of ancient Egypt, he conceived this swirling stained glass window in the shape of a carp." - M F