Between 1920-1930 René Lalique developed his techniques, changed the patterns from curvy natural to stylish geometrical, and gave up Art Nouveau’s style rules while enhancing his artistic position in Art Deco. During the Art Deco period, still, his creations were stunning, his themes magical, and his aesthetic status was exceptionally fashionable and recognized among the art connoisseurs in the following decade.

The exhausted Art Nouveau, replaced by Deco’s geometrical influences, couldn’t provide the required conditions for mass production. The production of standardized interchangeable parts in large quantities decreased the prices. It was an unavoidable manufacturing process. Mechanized production methods challenged the elaborately detailed designs, lowered the use of expensive materials and reduced unique handmade products.

This vase has an embossed motif of the glossy green coloured kissing lovebirds lying on a cream coloured background.

Nature was a wonderful inspiration for designers during the Art Nouveau period. Curious about Japanese art, these designers didn’t copy nature but transformed it into an expressive art that had distinguished ornamental characteristics.

In advance, Lalique used undulating, sinuous natural themes in colourful compositions in jewellery. But after applying glass pieces along with diamonds, opals, and semi-precious stones, he observed the natural qualities of glass and moved slowly into glass art.

The Bacchantes vase of Lalique Company depicted iconic holly figures, passionate young females and sculptural nudes on the vase’s surface. These products are still one of the bestsellers of Lalique company. In Roman religion, Bacchantes were the followers of Dionysus, the Greek god of wine and ecstasy. Lalique defined sensuality, bending movements, and unconcealed joy as flaunted visual aspects in his vase designs.

The production of Lalique’s vase used a well-known technique popular by the glassmakers and metal sculptors over many centuries. The method of the low wax casting, in French Cire Perdue, had been used in ancient times by the Romans and included the stage of the model and mould-making before wax casting. While the wax was encased and hardened in the mould and became a moulding compound, the wax melted at temperature and poured out. Lalique’s factory moulds were mainly a mixture of water, quartz and plaster. After the plaster moulds could have been able to reach their desired shape, the factory filled them with cast glass and blew them through the molten glass.

René Lalique entered the next stage of his artistic business once the mass production of exquisite perfume bottles became possible. Producing an extensive range of luminous glassware with intricate motifs made him an eminent expert and glass master. He brought a wide variety of products, including vases, bottles and ashtrays in both frosted and clear glass, to the market, with a high sculptural quality, dynamic compositions and outstanding designs.

Poppies, the ornamental colourful flowering plant grown for decorative and display purposes, inspired Lalique and was his favourite floral theme.

René Lalique entertained himself in his childhood with flora and fauna. Later in his work, he sought inspiration from natural forms and undulating, sinuous curves of flowers, trees, birds, and insects. Methodological feminine features were the source of his inventiveness. These features compassed his artistic creativity with hybrid female creatures, nymphs, mermaids and fairies. Primarily Lalique was known for his glass vases, sculptures and bowls.

René Lalique was first an apprentice to jeweller Louis Aucoc, a famous and leading Parisian goldsmith. In his second career, he worked as a freelance designer by Cartier and Boucheron, the French multi-industry companies, before starting with his own business. Lalique set up his company on Rue du Quatre-Septembre, Paris in 1887. He borrowed motifs from Japanese artwork and wood prints, abandoned lavish style, used semi-precious stone in jewellery, and introduced glass as a new medium in applied art.