Tuesday, July 31, 2012

René Lalique


René Lalique (1860 - 1945) was a French artist, glassmaker and jeweler. Going through everything he created in his life would become a very long post, so I'm only going to focus on his jewelry here. When creating his Art Nouveau pieces he took his inspiration from both the French countryside and the Japanese natural world. Lalique was a very innovative man and he incorporated many materials not often used in jewelry in his pieces, like glass, horn, enamel, ivory, semi-precious stones and pearls. When he used precious stones it was only for what they brought to the piece of jewelry, and not for their value as gems. Glassmaker Emile Galle called Lalique "the inventor of modern jewelry", and here follows some of his works.












































Don't you just love that bird-collar in the next to last picture?!!! The last object is actually a diadem, shaped as a mermaid! In the future I know at least I will be searching for Lalique objects when I go antique-hunting!



















6 comments:

  1. Drool drool drool...you know what I like ;D We were made to be friends, you and I ;D I'm always trying to spot this stuff when I go to markets and antique places, don't know what I'd actually do if I found a piece..maybe turn into a thief or something, haha!! The bird collar is my favourite too, I mean you could practically go naked and just wear the collar to give it all the glory, it's that stunning!! I also enjoy the bats around the girls quite a lot!! -sigh- I would happily take any piece, what am I saying!! I feel like rummaging the antique places again now :)))) Hope you have a marvelous day doll!! xoxox

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  2. It's so hard to pick out a favourite here when there's so many amazing ones such as the bird collar that Doll's drooling over haha but thanks so much for sharing this collection, if I could even own one piece it would be amazing, imagine how cuffed a girl would be if I managed to give her one of these amazing pieces, incredible post Miss Meadows.

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  3. Art Nouveau is so hard to find in furnitures but also in jewellery. This era was quite short compare to Art Deco era. I visited last year the Art Nouveau museum close to my home (north east of France), the town where everything began for Art Nouveau and it was amazing to see all these everyday items with this organic look. I saw some of Gallé or Lalique jewels. Lalique museum is also close to where I live but I never visited it, could be a good idea!

    http://lostin1950.blogspot.fr/

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  4. Absolutely spectacular pieces! I particularly like the neck pieces, very elegant!

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  5. The dragonfly and the opal ring are to die for! My birth stone is opal, and I want that ring! ;)

    You always post the loveliest curiosities! I love your blog ;)

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    1. Thank you so much! Hearing that people enjoy reading what I write about means a LOT to me! :) And about the balloon-dress and the movie UP; I actually said to the people I worked with that day, that if we would have filled the balloons with helium, I could just have soared around above everyone those days. THAT would have been fun! ;D xx

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