He was indeed a person with and an extraordinary vision and imagination. René Jules Lalique (6 April 1860 – 1 May 1945) was a French jeweller, medallist, and glass designer. He was creating glass art, perfume bottles, vases, jewellery, chandeliers, clocks, and automobile hood ornaments.
The Second Half of the 19th Century
The second half of the 19th century was a very productive period. A new upper class was forming. In fact industrial innovations made them rich and prosperous. This new bourgeoisie wanted to wear expensive clothing. They had chic evenings in expensive restaurants and lived in nicely decorated apartments. The tectonic shift of powers all across Europe had an enormous impact on the lifestyle of people. Wealthy citizens and not only nobility were dictating style, taste and behaviour. Everyone was looking to Paris hence it became the capital of fashion and luxurious life. The city set the tone for style and décor in daily life. It became a magnet for artists, models, intellectuals, and industrialists. They settled in grand boulevards or newly established suburbs.
René Lalique and His Works
The artist and Parisian René Lalique was born in France and he always understood what it was that drove the society of his period. A jewellery designer then a glass maker, he was a key figure in the Art Nouveau and the Art Deco style in France.
Thanks to his deep understanding of nature, knowledge of classics, and skills in modern machinery, he was able to create surprising pieces in a recognisable yet modern style. His first large atelier was on Rue Therese in Paris. The address could still be found on the boxes with golden cufflinks in the museums. This particular cufflinks were quite shocking for his times as a necked dancing couple is engraved on them. Probably that is why he became known as an innovator and modern style jeweller.
René Lalique and Theatre
Theatre was always fascinating Lalique and he became a great fan of it. From 1890-92 he meets more and more influential people from the theatre world such as Sarah Barnhardt and Emma Calve.
Lalique always depicted theatre in his jewellery. That’s how he got his inspiration and created unbelievable and unseen before pieces of art.
Apart from this theatrical imagery Lalique was also very innovative with materials he used. Innovation after innovation: the lovely translucence Plique-à-jour, the use of a horn from which he made fantastic combs.
From 1905-06 Lalique started using more glass in his creations. In 1908 Lalique had an order to make a perfume bottle. He saw an opportunity to open his own glass factory. From 1909 perfume bottles and powder boxes were produced in his own factory, soon followed by vases and glass jewellery.
Between 1910-40 two factories of Lalique manufactured hundreds of glass designs thanks to the use of modern machinery. Though thanks to highly elaborated craftsmanship, machinery, colour, patina and classical forms the objects still had high artistic value.
Today both unique and mass-market works of René Lalique are in the collections of a large number of public museums all around the world. He is one of the best jewellery masters to design and create outstanding pieces of jewellery and glasswork. We find lots of inspiration in his works.
If you’re looking for a gift then don’t forget that we have a range of fab items in our online shop.