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Masterpieces of French Jewelry
Legion of Honor
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The Fine Arts Museum of San Francisco currently hosts an exhibit dedicated to the finest French masterpieces in jewelry design. |
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As collection pieces or simply beautiful items of apparel French jewelry has a reputation as the finest in the world. Americans have been avid collectors since the Gilded Age, acknowledging through their patronage its spectacular design. |
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Masterpieces of French Jewelry is drawn entirely from American collections. It features pieces from the Hillwood Museum and Gardens, Washington D. C., as well as pieces from important private collections, many of which have never been shown before. The private collections include those of Dame Elizabeth Taylor, Christopher Forbes, Dina Merrill Hartley, and Iris Cantor.
Title: Necklace, 1936–193
Artist: Cartier and De Sedles
Medium: Platinum, Sapphires, Diamonds
Dimensions: L: 22.86 cm
Hillwood Museum & Gardens; bequest of Marjorie Merriweather Post, 1973
Image Courtesy: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Cartier’s formal jewelry heavily relied on diamonds set in platinum and was designed in the 18th century neoclassical style. It is commonly referred to as the as the Garland style given its themes of bows, flowers and garlands.
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The exhibit spans several decades and art periods. |
For example, a new generation of jewelers, in particular Raymond Templier (1891–1968), Gérard Sandoz (b. 1902), Jean Fouquet (1899–1984), and Jean Desprès (1889–1980), joined to form the Union des Artistes Modernes in 1929. Their jewelry was a gesture of solidarity with modern architects and designers such as Le Corbusier and an antidote to the more florid confections of the high Art Deco period.
Title: Vanity Case, c. 1940s
Artist: Boucheron
Medium: 18K gold, silver, jeweled enamel
Dimensions: L: 112 cm W: 9 cm
Private Collection, New York
Image Courtesy: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
The dazzling array of jewelry on display features necklaces, brooches, pendants, rings, bracelets, and earrings utilizing gold, platinum, or silver embellished with precious stones including diamonds, rubies, sapphires, and emeralds, as well as semi-precious stones such as tourmaline, amethyst, agate, citrine, lapis, coral, moon-stone, and rock crystal. Some of these pieces are crafted in sumptuous combinations with enamel, ivory, or tortoise shell.
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Accessories are not overlooked, with personal effects such as evening bags, fans, opera glasses, vanity cases, perfume bottles, ink wells, and an umbrella handle. |
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Whether to wear as apparel or with a functional use all were designed with the highest levels of quality.
Where to start when exploring the countless highlights?
Title: Geometric Brooch, c. 1935
Maker Unknown
Medium: 18K white gold, diamonds, agate
Dimensions: L: 4.25 cm W: 3.5 cm
Private Collection, New York
Image Courtesy: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
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Lalique’s Winter Landscape, brooch is made of 18K gold, opaque enamel, black pearl, and glass. |
The beautiful piecec demonstrates the fascination that nature held for Art Nouveau artists. Lalique’s skill in working with his materials is evident in the surprising depth of his forest scene and the realistic looking snow-laden tree branches in the foreground.
Title: Panther Brooch, 1928
Artist: Cartier
Medium: Platinum, Diamonds, Onyx, Agate
Dimensions: L: 2 cm W: 3.5 cm
Private Collection, New York
Image Courtesy: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Cartier's Panther Brooch, was commissioned in 1928 by the boxer Gene Tunney for his wife. It is another not to be overlooked item. The brooch, in the form of a panther reclining in attentive repose with its tail curled over its haunch, is formed using diamonds and onyx that were set on a geometric platinum and onyx base.
Title: Flower Brooch, 1978
Artist: Van Cleef & Arpels
Medium: 18K Gold, Platinum, Rubies, Sapphires, Diamonds
Dimensions: W: 3 cm H: 4 cm
Collection of Iris Cantor
Image Courtesy: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Is jewelry art? Let the artists respond to that question.
Title: Téte, 1973
Artist: Pablo Picasso (Spanish 1881-1973)
Medium: Gold
Dimensions: D: 8 cm
Joan Sonnabend, Boston
Image Courtesy: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco
Jean Arp, Max Ernst, André Derain, Man Ray, and Pablo Picasso all approached jewelry design as an art form for exploration. This is reflected in the exhibit, with among other items, Pablo Picasso's gold brooch Téte.
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Jewelry articles are notoriously popular with the readers of International Art Treasures Web Magazine. There is currently an exhibition they will enjoy at the Legion of Honor, Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco. |
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Masterpieces of French Jewelry
Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco:
through June 10, 2007