So the brooch was a natural baroque pearl weighing 208 grains by Raymond Templier 1935, a major designer of Art deco period
So many things in such a short period of time :
- Art Nouveau was synthesized at Paris "Exposition internationale" 1900
- Art deco was presented at Paris International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Art in 1925
- Art nouveau was not strictly interrupted by WWI, it is said to end about 1920 or so
- Art deco is said to have began as from 1910 but fixed at 1925 art deco exhibition, alive until 1939
- Art nouveau liked winding swirling lines and garland style, inspired by nature, real and fantasy animals, vegetals, women faces
- Art deco liked geometric, cubic, zigzagged geometric lines, inspired by cubism and architecture
- Art nouveau liked pastel colors, enamel, baroque pearls, opals,
- Art nouveau liked opposite colors, laquer work, lapis, coral, jade, ivory, onyx
- Art nouveau liked the natural baroque pearls
- Art deco was the beginning of cultivated pearls,
- Lalique was said to be the "creator" of modern jewelry at Art nouveau period,
- French Art Deco jewellery designer Raymond Templier (1891-1968), was said to be a pioneer in that way
- Art nouveau, designer Horta said : "I keep the stem I throw away the flower"
- Art deco period, Cezanne said : 'nature can be treated by cylinder, sphere, cone"
How did Art passed from Art nouveau to Art deco ?
- Developpement of aicraft, modern aerodynamic designs emerging from advancing technologies, expressing practical modernity
- Arriving of Diaghilev Ballets russes opened new ideas of colors and exoticism ; Inspiration from the far (Japon, China, Africa, Egyptomania :Touthankamon tomb 1922) continued in a different way
- Afer WWI people wanted to get off the dramatic moments they lived, so it was "the roaring twenties", time for different jewels
- After WWI , and 1929 depression, wealtheness changed,
-Women (WW widows) used to go working, replacing men at war, dressed shorter, cut their hair, wanting to live freely far from the XIX and Art nouveau women status, claiming for rights and voting liking sport and dancing,
not only willing to be beautiful...
They began wearing pearls for less formal occasion, time for long rope (see louise Brooks)
http://www.allposters.com/-sp/Louise-Brooks-Posters_i2856093_.htm
2 trends can be seen in Art Deco
- high grad lavishness is attributed to reaction to the forced austerity imposed by World War I.
- everyday useful objects and mass production starting the design concept :
beauty for everyone one as low cost
Japanese cultured pearls first reached European and American markets in the 1930s, although the gems did not become popular until the 1950s, some people initially rejected cultured pearls, but notably Gabrielle "Coco" Chanel, embraced them, using the gems in her elegantly casual designs.
One might say, Art deco the linking period between end of natural pearls unique offer and cultivated pearls offer.
It was surely the
end of pearl for the elite
Hope you enjoyed the story, any additional comment welcome