Called “a new, imperishable beauty” by artist and architect Henry van de Velde, the Art Nouveau movement at the turn of the Twentieth Century found its fullest expression in the decorative arts, and a new type of jewelry design flourished that preserved the beauty found in nature.
More than 100 of these dazzling miniature works of art are featured in “Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry,” organized by the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston (MFA), where it is on view July 23⁎ovember 9.
The majority of the works, by such masters as René Lalique, George Fouquet and Louis Comfort Tiffany, are drawn from a private collection representing one of the largest and most important assemblages of Art Nouveau adornments in the United States; more than half of the pieces have never before been exhibited.
Included are such fanciful works as a belt buckle with lily pads and blossoms by Henri Vever and a pendant/brooch with female bust, probably by Louis Aucoc, both of which are from about 1900. Decorative art objects are also showcased, such as a Daum Frères vase, an Auguste Rodin sculpture and a Lalique circular gold box. The exhibition also features prints, posters and paintings from the museum’s own collection that evoke the creative spirit of the times.
“The Art Nouveau movement brought a breath of fresh air to the late Nineteenth Century,” said Malcolm Rogers, Ann and Graham Gund director of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston. “The works created during this period by Lalique and his contemporaries achieved a level of innovation in both design and technique that has rarely been seen in jewelry. They are also exquisitely beautiful.”
“Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry” traces the history of this new style of design as it influenced jewelry making. It highlights the talents of one of Art Nouveau’s greatest exponents, Frenchman René Lalique (1860‱945), who worked for several prestigious jewelry houses (Aucoc, Cartier and Boucheron), where he both designed and fabricated elaborate, one-of-a kind pieces often made of unusual materials, such as horn, enamel and glass.
While Lalique is known today for his molded glass sculptures and decorative objects, jewelry was his first love. More than 40 dazzling works of art by Lalique are included in the exhibition, as are the designs of his French contemporaries, among them, George Fouquet (1862‱957), Eugene Feuillâtre (1870‱916) and Lucien Gaillard (1861‱933).
Also represented are ornaments by artists of the related German Jugendstil (“youth style”), along with artists from Belgium, Spain and Russia. In America, the influence of Art Nouveau design was limited to a select group of jewelers, most notable among them Louis Comfort Tiffany (1848‱933).
In some cases, an object’s reverse is as beautiful as its front, as can be seen in many examples on view in the exhibition.
Evocative of the natural world were trees, creeping vines, exotic orchids, delicate wildflowers, as well as leaves, blossoms and berries, which were incorporated into Art Nouveau jewelry. One of the most celebrated examples of flora is Orchid brooch (1898‱901, private collection) designed by Charles Desrosiers for George Fouquet. The orchid, with its sensuous overtones, was a favorite flower among Art Nouveau jewelers.
The earliest work in the exhibition was created in 1889 by Lalique and further illustrates his interest in Japanese design, particularly ukiyo-e woodblock prints. Swallow brooch (1889, private collection) is an early example of the artist’s breakaway style.
A necklace with a female head and a sphinx (about 1900, private collection) by Emmanuel-Jules-Joseph alludes to the mysteries of ancient Egypt.
Unlike delicate European Art Nouveau jewelry, often crafted just for display, sturdier American pieces were meant to be worn. Louis Comfort Tiffany created jeweled depictions of dragonflies, dandelions and Queen Anne’s lace; his brooch (about 1915, private collection) designed in gold and topaz is included in the exhibition, as are works by other prominent Art Nouveau jewelers in America, such as F. Walter Lawrence and Frank Gardner Hale.
The exhibition, accompanied by a catalog, will travel to the Cincinnati Art Museum November 1, 2009, through February 28, 2010.
The museum is at 465 Huntington Avenue. For information, www.mfa.org or 617-267-9300.
