A gold sylph spreads her plique-ajour enamel and diamond wings to fill the dog collar plaque. The gold veins of the wings and the crustaceous tail covered with a thin layer of transparent green enamel. The ethereal being seems made out of air and light. Rene Lalique Art Nouveau jewellery
Rene Lalique Art Nouveau jewellery
French jeweler and glass-maker, Rene Jules Lalique (1860 – 1945) is one of the outstanding representatives of Art Nouveau. Lalique was a revolutionary in jeweler’s art in every sense of the word. Pushing aside gold and diamonds, he experimented with amber, enamel, metal alloys, glass, favorite semi-precious stones, horn and tortoiseshell. And – the most interesting – the public madly in love with his ornaments. The images and figures appeared out of the very thick fog of Nouveau: dragonflies and scarabs, peacocks and ears of wheat, thin silhouettes of women: in some of them is possible to recognize the features of Rene Lalique muse Augustine-Alice Ledru, whose father and brother used to assist Roden. Lalique always followed the rule of three French “F” – Femme, Fauna, Flora, which still remains the motto of the house.
Gold, enamel, diamonds; 1898-1900. Rene Lalique Art Nouveau jewellery. The dog collar plaque shows two revelers playing their pipes in a diamond woods. The design reveals the Japanese influence on Lalique’s jewelry; it has no perspective point, the composition is flat, and the subjects are cropped on all sidesIn 1889 Lalique designed the singing bird brooch for Vever. Almost fully three-dimensional, the animated diamond birds with ruby eyes perch on a rose branch with leaves, flowers, and a butterfly
At his thirty-seven years, Rene Lalique – Commander of the Order of Legion of Honor. Made by him jewelry was bought by museums, collectors, and Empress – wholesale, directly at the exhibition. Emile Galle, colleague and eternal rival, bursts into a newspaper article, which called Lalique “founder of modern jewelry art” (the very Galle, with whom Lalique shared Grand Prix at the World Exhibition of 1900).
Rene Lalique Art Nouveau jewellery
Thistle collar plague. Thistle pattern in enamel. Its spiky stem is inspired by Lalique, which is diamonds.
With the arrival of the XX century, Lalique changed the direction – now he is interested in glass, from which he makes sculptures, dishes, perfume bottles and mascots for vehicles, lamps, vases and even furniture. His son Mark, after his father’s death refocused the family production on crystal. Hermitage storerooms in St. Petersburg keep a lot of the work of Rene Lalique: they were bought at one time by the whole Russian aristocracy headed by the Empress Alexandra Feodorovna.
Unusual colored glass and glass coated with a patina (enamel color) – the hallmark of Lalique pieces. Recipe of the famous Lalique opalescent glass is still the “trade secret.” In his later years, Rene Lalique was busy with “large forms” – designing hotels, churches, restaurants. Light panels, chandeliers, door panels, pillars, serving items, tableware, interior decorations, fountains, and many other things were produced by the firm in 1930th-40th. Rene Jules Lalique was born on 6 April 1860, Ay, Marne, died 5 May 1945, Paris. He started a glassware firm, named after himself, which still remains successful. After the death of Rene Lalique, his firm passed to his son – Marc Lalique, and then granddaughter, Marie-Claude.
Favorite Peacock themePansy brooch – a mixture of seemingly incompatible materials in jewelry – diamonds and glassPearl bracelet. Gold, enamel, glass, pearls; 1899Mythical creature broochButterfly Woman brooch/pin“Pine cone branches.” Silver, enamel, carved stone. 1898-1900White swans broochInsect broochBlue thistle and poppies pendantFabulous pin pendant. Gold, pearl, enamel
Rene Lalique Art Nouveau jewellery
Romantic pendantDiamond and gold pendantLalique jewelryLady in a hat pendant, gold enamelWinter theme pendantThistle theme pendantNature inspired jewelleryPeacock buckleFloral motif brooch. Pearl, gold, enamelBuckleMythological broochGorgeous Winter pendantTiara made of gold, pearls, enamelA pair of matching earringsDragonfly woman corsage ornament (1897–1898)Swan broochFlower broochGold, enamel, chrysoprases; 1900Fabulous peacock booch. Gold, enamel, moonstones; 1897-1898Swallow HairpinKiss broochNarcissus necklace. Gold, enamel, glass; 1899-1900Orchid broochPeacock broochPeacock brooch (left) and braceletAntique PendantSwallow BroochLalique jewelleryBorn on 6 April 1860, Ay, Marne, Rene Lalique. Died 5 May 1945, ParisA pair of earrings with opal and enamel in the original case. 1900-1905A pendant made of gold with enamel. Around 1900Bat broochCollar of gold with enamel and diamonds ‘Hawthorn’. 1902-1904. Abundant use of diamonds is not typical for other works of this master‘Collar’ of pearls with enamel, opal and diamonds. 1900. Put into fashion by Princess Alexandra, the collars remained popular until the outbreak of the First World WarGold bracelet with glass paste and enamel. 1900-1905. Intaglio from glass paste with Ceres images, transparent green enamel with gold fibers1906-1908 Gold collar, enamel and diamonds. The lattice decorated with tiny diamonds. Enamel wisteria with a transparent green stalk, pale blue and purple flowers of transparent enamelTiara with diamonds and black pearls by René Lalique. About 1900Circa 1900. Gold buckle with diamonds, opals and enamelRed poppy necklace
