René Lalique: Enchanted by Glass is a major exhibition at The Corning Museum of Glass in New York State and brings together glass, jewellery, production moulds and design drawings by René Lalique, dating from about 1893 to Lalique’s death in 1945. As a successful jeweller Lalique experimented with glass in his designs, which eventually led to a career in which he fully embraced the material. His aesthetic choices in his designs informed the styles of Art Nouveau and Art Deco in France, and the objects he created have become iconic reflections of these periods. Lalique also embraced industrial innovations, like mass production, allowing luxury glass to be placed in more and more households around the world.
In association with The Corning Museum of Glass, Yale has published the catalogue to this major exhibit. The book traces Lalique’s distinguished career, including his early experimentation with glass in jewellery-making; his production of innovative perfume bottles, some of the first pieces he made entirely of glass; and the peak of his glassmaking career at the 1925 International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris. Hundreds of colour photographs – including many dramatic, full-page images – spotlight individual pieces of glass and original wax and plaster models selected from the extensive collection of The Corning Museum of Glass. The book also draws on the Museum’s wealth of archival material on Lalique, including design drawings and photographs. This strikingly beautiful and informative volume is a testament to the singular allure of his enchanting glass.
René Lalique: Enchanted by Glass at The Corning Museum of Glass will be open until January 2015.
Find out more, or place an order for ‘René Lalique: Enchanted by Glass’:
About the author:
Kelley Jo Elliott is curatorial assistant, modern glass, Karol Wight is executive director and curator of ancient and Islamic glass and Tina Oldknow is curator of modern glass, all at The Corning Museum of Glass. Elizabeth Everton is visiting faculty in the department of history at Concordia University, St. Paul.
