Page 13 - 2022 Glass Editorial

hen the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Décoratifs de Paris and then spent two
Industrial Arts opened its gates to the public on April 28, years in England before becoming an
W1925, one of the Fair’s most defining and memorable independent designer for jewelers such as
features was Les sources de France (The Springs of France), a fifty-foot Jacta, Boucheron, Cartier, and Gariod.
fountain of illuminated glass created by René Jules Lalique. Adorned In 1885, Lalique took over Jules
with 128 glass caryatids depicting 13 different women from ancient Destapes’ atelier in Paris and became a
Greek mythology, the fountain gave the Esplanade des Invalides—where full-fledged jeweler, breaking with
it dominated as one walked through the main gate at La Porte jewelry-making tradition by including
d’Honneur—a fairytale-like appearance when illuminated. The novelist innovative materials in his pieces in a
Colette described it as “marvellous” [sic.]. Lalique's glass artistry was style later to be known as “Art Nouveau.”
also found in architecture and interiors throughout the fair, including Lalique’s primary jewelry design
two pavilions under the name R. Lalique et Compagnie where decorative motif was the natural world. He was
glass objects designed by Lalique—from vanity table accessories to influenced not just by the natural world
vases—could be purchased as souvenirs and brought home as gifts. of the French countryside, but also by
In that moment, René Lalique was the name behind, and the Japanese natural world art motifs.
commercial front for, the new style moderne of architecture, interior René Lalique (1860-1945) At a time when originality and
photo: art-lalique.fr
decoration, furniture, glass, jewelry, and other decorative arts being creativity had been abandoned in favor
promoted by the French government at the 1925 Exposition. Yet, this of ornate and lavish styles with an abundance of precious stones,
was not Lalique’s first time on a world stage at the forefront of a Lalique made the materials he used central to his designs. He chose
design movement. them for their power, light, and color,
whether they were precious or not. He
combined gold and gemstones with
semi-precious stones, mother-of-pearl,
ivory, and horn, in addition to enamel
and glass. In 1888, René Lalique regis-
tered his “RL” stamp and engraved the
unique pieces created in his workshop
with these letters.
By the mid-1890s, René Lalique
was a notable figure in the world of
jewelry and fashion in Paris. His In 1888 René Lalique registered his
avant-garde pieces were commissioned “RL” stamp and engraved the
by the great courts, patronized by such unique pieces created in his
famous icons of the day as Sarah workshop with these letters.
photo: Lalique SA
Bernhardt (who wore his jewelry on
stage playing Marguerite in the play
Theodora), found at such fashionable places as Siegfried Bing’s the
Maison de l’art Nouveau (Museum of
New Art) in Paris and collected by the
Postcard from the 1925 Paris Exhibition showing a nighttime world’s wealthy. In 1897, Lalique received
illuminated view of the 50-foot glass tower created by René Lalique.
first prize at the Salon in Paris, where he
exhibited ivory and horn hair combs. This
RENÉ JULES LALIQUE, Art Nouveau Jeweler same year he was also awarded the Legion
of Honor Cross for the jewelry he exhibited
at the World’s Fair in Brussels. His desire
René Jules Lalique was born in 1860 in Ay, France, to Auguste Jules
Lalique and Olympe Berthellemy. Although the family moved a few
years later to Paris, he remained deeply attached to his birthplace René Lalique’s Lily Crown was created for
throughout his life, and was inspired by its natural beauty. Sarah Bernhardt. Not merely a living legend as an
Following the death of his father at age 16, René took up an actress, Sarah Bernhardt (1844-1923) was also a
apprenticeship with a leading Parisian jeweler and goldsmith by the modern, liberated woman who was an inspiration
name of Louis Aucoc. He went on to study at the Ecole des Arts for the worlds of fashion, the decorative arts, and
the aesthetic of Art Nouveau.

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