Category
Jewellery
René Lalique
Circa 1906-1908
Glass, gold, rubies, enamel
Property of Shai Bandmann and Ronald Ooi
Around the end of the 19th century, the world of jewellery experienced a major revival. Japanese art and nature provided new sources of inspiration, and materials such as enamel were given new treatment. Enamel was a particular favourite of René Lalique, and its properties – the fact that it melts and fuses – logically led him to his first experiments with glass, which soon became an essential element in his work.
In this piece, Lalique uses enamel to create perspective. The figures on the sides of the brooch use the intaglio technique, while the central silhouette is in high relief, and seems to be in movement, creating the illusion of life.
By the way: René Lalique rarely used rubies, preferring blue, green and yellow gems that were ideally suited to his compositions evoking nature. The use of rubies makes this piece a rare example of Lalique’s work.
