Rene Lalique The Foremost Jeweller and Glassmaker in the Art Nouveau and Art Deco Periods.
His necklaces are some of the most collectible jewellery on Earth.
When we think of Art Nouveau Jewellery or Art Nouveau Glass the first name that comes to mind is Rene Lalique.
Although Lalique was primarily a Glass Designer he was equally known for his beautiful Jewels.
He is particularly renowned for his designs of Vases,Chandeliers,perfume bottles and jewellery.
From his birth Ay in Marne,France in 1860, he loved nature and in his early teens he began to paint and the flowing forms of nature.
Rene studied drawing and design at the College Turgot.
His mother realised how much he loved painting and design and apprenticed him to Louis Aucoc a Jeweller in Paris.
He also studied at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs in the evenings and subsequently studied at Sydwnham College in London England at a very fortunate time.
In England it was the time of the birth of the Arts and Crafts movement and Lalique would have been very interested in their designs .
During his holidays back in Ay he drew sketches of nature and wildlife and this influenced his work throughout his life.
England was the the very centre of the Arts and Crafts movement and he was inspired not only by the artists of that movement but also by what he saw at the Crystal Palace Exhibition.
In 1880 he returned to Paris where he studied Jewellery manufacturing and then sculpture under Justin Lequien at the Ecole Bernard Palissy.
This time influenced his later work as much of Palissy Pottery was relief decorated and had realistically modelled fish,lizards,snakes and plants.
From this background of Art and Design, he evolved flowing and often erotic designs and the influence of Palissy is shown in his vases such as the Sauterelles and Martin Pecheurs designs .
His most famous single work is probably the Perruches bowl from the 1920s which had a frieze of beautiful moulded parakeets on Opalescent Glass.
In later years he became famous not only for art nouveau Glass but also for Art Nouveau Jewellery.
The Best examples of his necklaces can be found here -
