Unique creations of an artisan who managed to become an outstanding jeweler and perfumer: René Lalique

2024 Author: Richard Flannagan | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-15 23:55

A gifted artisan, inspired by Japanese art and symbolism, Rene Lalique made a splash and revolution in jewelry. He created his own unique and inimitable style, mixing arts and crafts, graphics, poetry, perfumery, fashion design and much more. His works are still a national treasure of France and are kept in many museums, as well as in private collections around the world.

Born in the Marne region of France, he was educated as a goldsmith and then attended the School of Decorative Arts in Paris and the Crystal Palace School of Art in London.

After completing his studies abroad, he returned to his homeland and began working as a freelance designer for internationally renowned French jewelers including Cartier and Boucheron.

Soon Rene opened his first store and workshop, where he began to create what was so close to his heart and soul.

Having given his preference to more original and interesting materials, he began to work with enamel, opal, mother of pearl, ivory, horn, leather, aquamarine, and, of course, glass. From all this, he learned to create unusual jewelry, which is rapidly gaining popularity not only in France, but also abroad.

His Art Nouveau brooches and combs, as well as his naturalistic approach to glass jewelry, were widely recognized at the Paris International Exhibition in 1900.

At the end of the 19th century, he was recognized as one of the best French designers of Art Nouveau jewelry. And as a designer, he became synonymous with modernity and elegance during the Belle Epoque. His lavish jewelry adorned the bodies and costumes of leading theatrical actresses such as the great Sarah Bernhardt, and his stage jewelry accentuated the curves of the female body. Inspired by Japanese art and antiquity, his work was attractive and sometimes even erotic.

Rene has always been fascinated by the wonders of nature. As a child, he studied botany, painted flowers and insects. He wanted to imitate the morning dew, shimmering water, or the fluttering wings of a butterfly on women's jewelry. And so, he created mermaids and fairy dragonflies with delicately fluttering wings.

His favorite subjects were women, depicted with loose hair and elaborate draperies, and animals, especially snakes and insects. Unlike machine-made jewelry, Rene's pieces were elegant, with relatively few gems included in the design.

That is why he is a real icon of Art Nouveau. Fauna and flora, natural light and curved lines clearly defined the Art Nouveau movement. And Rene in his works tried to bring a little meaningful life, sensuality, dreams and emotions into everyday life. In addition, he tried to revive the beauty that was available only in museums, to take it beyond its borders, demonstrating unique cities, houses and even furniture.

Rene also experimented with rock crystal and gold, creating truly marvelous jewelry, behind which crowds lined up. His interest in rock crystal and architectural glass led the jeweler to artistic experiments in these areas.

He founded a glass factory in Combe-la-Ville, France, and a few years later acquired an even larger factory in Wingen-sur-Moder, France. And it is not at all surprising that the eminent French perfumer François Coty soon fell in love with René's glass works and asked him to design a perfume bottle. The ordering of perfume bottles led to the development of his signature style, characterized by smooth surfaces, intricate or partially realistic relief patterns, inlaid enamel and more.

After the revolution in jewelry, he made a splash and revolution in the perfume industry. By that time, thanks to the development of the glass industry, unusual, stylish and artistic bottles began to be mass produced. As a result, Rene gradually moved to Art Deco.

In 1925, the International Exhibition of Contemporary Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris became the second exhibition that marked another success for the brilliant jeweler. His technique of contrast between clear and frosted glass has been noted as a triumph for the Art Deco movement. He successfully transitioned from Art Nouveau to more geometric Art Deco without any break.

He designed the interiors of many luxury hotels and some churches, and decorated some of the Orient Express dining cars with glass panels inlaid with Cuban mahogany.

This amazing man left behind a huge legacy, and even after Rene, his son Marc took over at the helm of the business. He moved away from glassware production once and for all to focus on crystal. It was Mark who brought Lalique to the very stage when it became one of the largest crystal producers in France and abroad.

Continuing the work of her father and grandfather, Mark's daughter, Marie-Claude Lalique, was also able to adapt to the vagaries of fashion and reinvent herself. She served as Creative Director for Lalique until 1996, creating a range of vibrant, varied crystal colors. Under her leadership, the brand founded by her grandfather returned to perfumery.

It is also worth mentioning that under the leadership of Silvio Denza, Chairman of the Board and CEO of Lalique, the villa, built by René Lalique in 1920, has reinvented itself.

Part of the prestigious Relais & Chateaux collection since 2016, this villa is a state-of-the-art five-star hotel with a gourmet restaurant awarded two Michelin stars just a few months after its opening.

Steeped in history, the villa was home to the founder and his family during their stay in Alsace. After René's death, his son Marc and granddaughter Marie-Claude continued to stay there regularly.

Silvio Denz, seeking to breathe new life into the house, commissioned the interior designers Lady Tina Green and Pietro Mingarelli to carry out the renovation. They are the designers of the Lalique Maison Art Deco collection of furniture and decorative accessories, created in 2011, inspired by the original motives of René Lalique.

In accordance with Silvio's wishes, they have preserved the atmosphere and authenticity of the family hearth. Keeping this in mind, the exterior has been restored to exactly what it once looked, complete with blue shutters that faithfully reproduce the exterior of the original building. Retaining the original structure, the designers have come up with six suites that are reminiscent of the genius Rene to the smallest detail.

All of them are different, each of them bears the name of the symbolic creation of Lalique, which dates back to the tenth anniversary of the life of the master glassblower. An exception is the Zeila suite, named after the famous panther Marie-Claude Lalique.

Mario Botta, a world renowned Swiss architect living in Mendrisio in the canton of Ticino, was commissioned to design a restaurant and a cellar. He has received over fifty prizes and awards for his architecture that reflects his ethical interests. For Botta, it is important that the building blends in perfectly with its surroundings, both visually and in terms of the environment. With this goal in mind, he designed the Villa René Lalique restaurant with Vosges sandstone columns, large bay windows overlooking nature and a roof covered with plants.

A tribute to the age-old legacy bequeathed by the visionary creator Rene Lalique and a sincere tribute to the French art of living, Villa Rene Lalique is conceived as a historical page that captures the essence of its creator.

P. S.

Lalique: the name itself is a legend. It is a symbol of light and transparency, sparkling crystal, exquisitely designed accessories, artistic glassware and precious perfume bottles …

Opened in 1888, the company of the same name is today one of the leading manufacturers of French crystal. The founder of the house, a genius in his essence, Rene, first became known as a creator of jewelry and a master of jewelry, and only then began to engage in glass making. It is thanks to this that many years later the name Lalique in its essence has become synonymous with high cost, perfection, unique, author's style and creativity.

In modern times, the brand is engaged in rethinking the author's and eclectic universe of Rene, using several main areas for this: decor, interior design and its design, jewelry, perfumery and art.

Lalique collaborates with other luxury brands as well as leading artists and designers to create fresh, quirky pieces that benefit from each partner's experience.

For over a century, all of Lalique's crystal products have been produced in France at its factory in Alsace, built in 1921, making Lalique a truly timeless brand, luxury and the art of living.

And in the next article - the story of how surreal works by Salvador Dali became "revived" masterpieces of jewelry art.