Khalili Collection of Enamels- René Lalique

Khalili Museum Collection has a large number of Enamels Jewellery including ornamental items by artist René Lalique. This Museum is well-known for its Islamic Art Collection, but includes a few of Rene Lalique’s pieces. Lalique, the French industrial designer (1860 – 1945), utilized superior techniques with ingenious creativity. He refused the dominant use of diamonds in jewellery and terminated the hegemony of precious stones in ornamental artwork. Generally, he banned the recreated reused historical styles, the so-called Historicism, in his designs.

Although this corsage ornament made in 1905 has a symmetrical structure and opposing ends, it features a curved design and undulated delicate texture inspired by nature, similar to other Art Nouveau jewels.

The piece outlines the shape of an insect with two delicate, slender forewings formed by matt semi-opaque enamel.

The double central ellipses made by shiny green peridot stone shows the thorax and the abdomen as the biological organs of the insect. The two ruby eye compounds with the clay-coloured head balance the open wings on both sides. The forewings in champlevé compartments include golden branching routes and are filled with rose-gold low saturated coloured enamel.

The legs and crown-shaped antennae of the insect are made of high-gloss enamel and shimmer delicately on the pink-coloured ornament.

The complementary colours on the wing cells, including the burnt red on the eyes, placed side-by-side with the green colour of facetted peridot stones, create a strong contrast and a vivid bright look.

Lalique’s desire for nature and seasons was the core of his designs. In designing this jewel, he referred to the autumn season. The use of various enamel and the different shades of autumn colours by Lalique had referred to the diversity and numerosity in nature.

Jewel: Corsage Ornament
Museum: The Khalili Collections
Date: circa 1903-1905
Material: Gold with plique à jour and champlevé enamel, cabochon rubies, facetted cabochon peridots
Dimension: 4.5 x 21 cm

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Text: Lalerou
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