René Lalique is a name synonymous with the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements as a talented designer who produced works in jewelry and glass. Born in 1860 in Aÿ-en-Champagne in France, Lalique trained as a jeweler, both in France and England. In 1887, he set up his workshop in Paris, producing innovative jewelry pieces inspired by Antiquity and Japonisme. Only some three years later, Lalique opened his third Paris workshop and began to experiment with designs in glass and enamel. Success at the 1900 Paris Exposition Universelle and led to patronage of the actress Sarah Bernhardt and many wealthy clients. In 1907 he entered a partnership with François Coty producing designs for the perfumer. Success with glassmaking led Lalique to found a dedicated glassworks in Alsace in the 1920s. More acclaim followed at the 1925 Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes with his innovative juxtaposition of frosted and clear glass, use of enameling and stained glass. Two of his most famous commissions are decorating the Côte D’Azur Pullman Express train in 1929 and in 1935. glass on the Normandie luxury liner. Lalique died in 1945, but his business survives to this day continuing the tradition of craftsmanship.
René Lalique, Pendant, ca.1901, Paris, France. Gold, enamel, opal, pearl, diamonds. The Metropolitan Museum, New York
René Lalique, Vase, ca. 1930, Paris, France. Clear glass, nymphs from Greek mythology. The Metropolitan Museum, New York
René Lalique, Perfume bottle, modern, designed 1920, Trois Hirondelles (three swallows). Lalique.com (France)