LALIQUE: PLIQUE-À-JOUR ENAMEL, PEARL AND IVORY BROOCH,

CIRCA 1900-1903

Footnotes

René Lalique's relationship with sculpture was deeply intertwined with his mastery of glass and ornamentation. His designs often featured sculptural forms, blending fluid, organic shapes, echoing the artistic depth of sculpture, exploring themes of nature, mythology, and human emotion.

In the mid-1890s Lalique began working with Sarah Bernhardt, an actress and sculptor, whose flamboyant personality acted as a catalyst on Lalique's fertile imagination. Whilst she is recognised as an enthusiastic and loyal benefactor of Lalique, she has not been credited in her capacity as a sculptress, in which she undoubtedly advised him.

In the late 1890s, Lalique designed a series of jewellery and objets d'art inspired by the sculpture of Auguste Rodin. Lalique's sensitivity to form allowed him to translate Rodin's bold, emotive works into delicate glass and ivory examples, retaining the essence of the sculptural forms while introducing his own innovative techniques. One notable example of their creative collaboration was Lalique's interpretation of Rodin's famous sensual sculpture The Kiss (1882); which he reimagined more than once and in various forms. See Becker, V. The Jewellery of René Lalique, pl. 28-30.

In this exquisite jewel, Lalique uses the smoothness of ivory, with its subtle translucency and notable resemblance to marble, to evoke softness and sensuality of skin, thus demonstrating Lalique's skill as a craftsman and his ability to evoke the same emotional resonance as sculpture, albeit in a more intimate and wearable form.

For similar carved ivory jewels by Lalique, see Becker, V. The Jewellery of René Lalique, pl. 20-22, 24-30, 108, 112.

Accompanied by a certificate from The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, stating that this pre-1918 item is of outstandingly high artistic, cultural or historical value. Certificate number: 5XJZIAKN, dated 31st October 2024.