September, 16, 2010 - January, 09, 2011

the One-Pillar Chamber of the Patriarch's Palace

Organized by:
   the Moscow Kremlin Museums

01# Diadem The international cultural project “The Art of Rene Lalique” is accomplished in 2010, declared the Year of Russia in France, and France in Russia. It is the first exhibition project in Russia presenting unique artworks of one of the most remarkable glass makers and jewellery designers of the Art Nouveau and Art Deco periods. Rene Lalique, marvellous jeweller, goldsmith and silversmith, excellent draughtsman, brilliant stylist, designer and master glassmaker, belongs to the most prominent artists of his age. He became a distinguished artist for his delicate and almost revolutionary style and technical innovations. His experiments and outstanding achievements within jewellery making, glass making and metalworking made his name ranks with those of Carl Fabergé, Frederic Boucheron, Louis-François Cartier, Louis Comfort Tiffany - the world’s greatest jewellers and designers.

The Moscow Kremlin Museums present over 100 artworks by René Lalique, including drawings, jewellery items and accessories, executed in the period from 1886-1887 till 1920s, interior implements and glass works in the Art Deco and Art Nouveau styles, executed in the late XIXth – early XXth centuries. The exhibits were brought from the world-known museums and private collections, i.e. the State Hermitage museum, State Archive of the Russian Federation, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Calouste Gulbenkian Museum, Lisbon, Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris, the Lalique Museum, Hakone, Japan, Danish Museum of Art & Design (Kunstindustrimuseet), Copenhagen, Musée Lambinet in Versailles, Musée des Beaux-Arts, Quimper, Cooperative association “Lalique” in Paris etc.

Retrospective review of the René Lalique artworks is one of the most magnificent cultural events through the year 2010. It is symbolic that some of the displayed articles were executed in 1896–1897 on the order of the French authorities specially for Emperor Nicholas II as official gifts on the occasion of his visit to France in 1896 and visit of the president of the French Republic, Félix François Faure, to Russia in 1897. Lalique has also created jewellery pieces for Empress Alexandra Fyodorovna, the wife of Nicholas II. At the exhibition you can see a design of the handle of umbrella, bearing an inscription, telling the name of its owner – the Empress. The artist executed jewellery for the great French actress Sarah Bernhardt; his masterpieces were always in great favour and demand in many European cities and regarded as being exquisite trends in the fashion industry.

The exhibition is worthy of visiting as being an incredible source of information on culture and life of the society at the turn of the XIXth century in both France and Russia.


General partner of the project is Vnesheconombank.

 
up