Comb by René Lalique, 1900 (Photo: Jean-Pierre Dalbéra / CC BY-SA 2.0)
In the opulent Paris of the Belle Époque, René Lalique emerged as the most daring and imaginative jeweler of his age. Rejecting the rigid traditions of gemstone-dominated adornments, he revolutionized the art of jewelry by blending precious metals with enamel, horn, glass, and semi-precious stones. His creations shimmered with vitality: dragonflies, orchids, nymphs, and mythological figures transformed into poetic, wearable works of art.
Lalique’s vision elevated jewelry to the realm of fine art. His collaborations with Sarah Bernhardt and commissions for the fashionable elite introduced a new kind of luxury: one defined by creativity, naturalism, and craftsmanship rather than ostentation. His work captured the very spirit of Art Nouveau, a movement that sought to unite art and life, dissolving boundaries between decorative and divine.
A richly illustrated lecture, art historian Tosca Ruggieri focuses on Lalique’s groundbreaking work as a jeweler. She traces his evolution from his early experiments to the masterpieces that won him international acclaim at the Paris Exposition of 1900. Along the way, meet his remarkable patrons, discover the innovative techniques that made Lalique’s work so avant-garde, and view extraordinary pieces—including works from private collections rarely shown to the public.
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