René Lalique, inventor of modern jewelry and great master of Art Deco glass

Presented by Musée Lalique (FR)

The online event will take place on Thursday, May 7, 2026 at 5:00 pm and is free of charge. The presentation will be in French.

The event will be recorded.

Content

René Lalique (1860-1945) embodied a major figure in Art Nouveau and then Art Deco, succeeding in renewing himself while making a profound mark on these two opposing movements. Initially an avant-garde jeweler, he drew his inspiration from nature and the female body, using unprecedented materials - horn, ivory, glass - which he combined with gold and precious stones. Considered by Émile Gallé as the inventor of modern jewelry, he gradually turned to glass, particularly after his decisive meeting with perfumer François Coty in 1908. A glassmaker of genius, he developed ambitious industrial production without ever sacrificing creativity or quality, founding factories and mastering innovative techniques such as pressed glass. His creations - bottles, lighting fixtures, architectural decors and decorative objects - are characterized by transparency, simplicity of form and stylized naturalist inspiration. An artist and an industrialist in equal measure, Lalique has democratized aesthetics while preserving the highest artistic standards.

Image: René Lalique, Diadème Cattleya, c. 1903-1904, Gold, diamonds, horn, articulated ivory, enamel, Musée Lalique - private deposit © Karine Faby