I want to talk about the great master of his era. René Lalique is a great French jeweler and master of art glass, a prominent representative of the romantic style in world artistic culture - modernism. Lolik's work is unique in that in his work, in addition to traditional gold, he experimented with amber, metal alloys, enamel, his favorite semi-precious stones, horn and tortoiseshell, quite cheap materials. And, besides, he did not use diamonds so actively, and therefore was not immediately accepted by the jaded public. Rene loved the material for its artistic value, not for its cost. When creating his masterpieces, the master was inspired by nature; Rene was an amazing draftsman. Since 1890, Sarah Bernhardt has become his favorite client. The Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna ordered jewelry from him.

One of Lalique's most famous works, the Dragonfly Woman brooch, belonged to Sarah. In this work, Lalique depicted the woman as a predator-seductress with golden claws and wings.

He has been called the inventor of the modern jewelery look, with character and unique style.

Rene Lalique experimented a lot with glass. Many of his sculptures, vases, dishes, perfume bottles, lamps and even furniture have survived to this day. Unusual colored glass and glass with a patina applied to it - characteristic feature works of Lalique. The recipe for his famous opalescent glass is still a “company secret”.

Lalique also applied his talent to the creation of crystal bottles for the perfume company Coty and others ( Nina Ricci and today uses Lalique crystal bottles). Today the Lalique brand has its own fragrances, such as: Lalique De Lalique, Lalique Pour Homme, Amethyst.

After the death of Rene Lalique, his company was headed by his son, Marc Lalique, who reoriented the family production to crystal, and then by his granddaughter, Marie-Claude.

French designer and entrepreneur, representative of Art Nouveau, luminary of jewelry and artistic glassmaking. Born in the town of Ay (Marne department) on April 6, 1860.

He created jewelry for the unique Sarah Bernhardt. The Russian Empress Alexandra Feodorovna ordered jewelry from him. His works were in demand among fashionable Parisians and residents of other capitals of the world. Rene Jules Lalique, a jeweler and glass artist, is rightfully considered one of the leaders of the Art Nouveau style.

R.Zh. Lalique. Pendant Ball of snakes with chain. France. 1898–1899. Gold, pearls, enamel; coinage. 11.0 x 5.9 cm. Acquired from the First Branch of the State Hermitage Museum (former museum of the Stieglitz School) in 1924–1925.

More than a hundred years ago, on January 26, 1903, the exhibition “Modern Art” opened in St. Petersburg, the initiators and organizers of which were Russian philanthropists - Prince Sergei Shcherbatov and Vladimir von Meck. The exhibition included works

K. Korovin, A. Benois and other members of the World of Art association. Rene Jules Lalique was also invited to the capital Russian Empire and presented several dozen pieces of jewelry. Most of the items were sold by the author directly at the exhibition and, perhaps, many of them have survived today in private collections in Russia.

Name R.Zh. In the history of world jewelry, Lalique ranks alongside the names of such world-famous masters as Carl Faberge, Frédéric Boucheron, Louis-François Cartier, and Louis C. Tiffany.

In his jewelry made of precious and ornamental stones and metals amazingly combine the features of outgoing historicism and Japanese art, which many European artists of the late 19th and early 20th centuries were fond of. The master boldly experimented with semi-precious stones, mysterious alloys of enamels and metals. A rich range of shades of amber, from white to thick cherry and black, is adjacent to the matteness of tortoiseshell. Elegance Ivory The apparent simplicity of transparent glass and the radiance of pearl mother-of-pearl are intricately combined in Lalique’s products. These materials fascinated the master, inviting him to experiment, the magnificent results of which even today evoke associations with the East - Singapore, the West Indies, China.

The unusual materials that Lalique used created truly limitless possibilities for creative search. Previously unheard of exquisite shades, a new style amazed the audience. The master’s products were dominated by fluid, smooth lines, borrowed as if from nature itself.

It is known that in the first half last decade of the outgoing 19th century, the artist created jewelry for the famous actress Sarah Bernhardt. According to one version, it was she who introduced the artist to Calouste Gulbenkian, an Armenian by birth, a Kuwaiti tycoon who became a philanthropist R.Zh. Lalika. The collection of the jeweler's works at the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon today numbers about 150 objects and is one of the largest in the world.

R.Zh. Lalique. Crest. France. 1900–1902. Horn, gold, silver; carving, grinding. 10.6 x 10.4 cm. Acquired from the First Branch of the State Hermitage Museum (formerly the Stieglitz School Museum) in 1924.

In the mentioned collection there is a decoration for the corsage “Dragonfly Woman”, distinguished by its bright color scheme. Like the finest lace, the design of the product is woven from enamels, diamonds and semi precious stones, set in a thin outline of gold. The dragonfly was one of Lalique's favorite motifs, along with exotic and fabulous birds and insects.

The Moonstone Gallery houses a more discreet color combinations, “Dragonfly” brooch designed in cool green tones. In an exquisite piece by R.Zh. Lalique once again creates the image of a beautiful dragonfly woman. Her torso seems to grow from a long vertical tail, which is associated with tight-fitting women's toilets of the Art Nouveau era. The decoration is made of gold, enamel, chrysoprase and diamonds.

Since 1896, the master has engraved the autograph on his products: “Lalique”. Products created according to his designs are purchased not only by private individuals and major collectors, but also by museums different countries world, the property of which they remain today. In 1902, agents of the St. Petersburg School of Technical Drawing Baron L.K. Stieglitz purchased 5 works from Lalique for 4,500 francs. Works owned by the school French master stayed for twenty-one years. And in 1923 these things were transferred to the collection of the State Hermitage.

Among the exhibits of the largest Russian museum is the famous pendant of 1900–1901, “The Ball of Snakes,” made of gold and champlevé opal enamel. It should be noted that to the play of opal shades R.Zh. Lalique had a special passion throughout his life. In the renowned Hermitage collection there is a foot of yellow glass in a silver frame, embossed with the leaves and flowers of thistles - a repetition of the foot from the Lisbon Museum.

In 1956, the Hermitage collection received a reed cane with a silver knob, stored before the war in the Alexander Palace of Tsarskoe Selo, decorated with a gold figurine of an elegant dragonfly girl, which probably belonged to one of the members of the royal family before the revolution. According to reports, the cane was also made by a French jeweler.

In 1904 R.Zh. Lalique became interested in art glass. He made vases that fascinate with both the magic of the world's oldest man-made material and the richness of its interpretations. Either transparent or matte, vases from Lalique are distinguished by the subtlety of their designs and the exquisite plasticity of their forms. Sometimes they surprise with high relief emerging as if from the depths of fragile material. Many of Lalique's works are fascinating extraordinary beauty opal glass, which he used in his products. This period became a turning point for the master’s creative style. Glass brooches and pendants of the most unexpected shapes were now coming out of his workshop - round, square, elongated, or resembling a falling drop of water, decorated with the image of a fish. R.Zh. Lalique began using glass inserts in the manufacture of most of his jewelry.

R.Zh. Lalique. Foot. Paris. 1902. Silver, glass; casting, embossing. Height 16.0 cm, diameter 9.0 cm. Acquired from the First Branch of the State Hermitage Museum (formerly the Stieglitz School Museum) in 1924.

In the collection of the State Hermitage in St. Petersburg there is a brooch, created in 1903–1905, with an insert of blue glass, under which foil is placed, enhancing the play of light and shadow. Its simple metal frame makes it an example of inexpensive jewelry of the time.

In 1905, the artist, having entered into a contract with the famous French company Coty, began to develop the design of perfume bottles. Since 1918 he worked only with glass. The late period of creativity allows us to classify Rene Lalique as one of the largest glass designers of the first half of the twentieth century. His glass products, like jewelry, were destined to have a significant influence on the formation and further development of decorative and applied art of the new 20th century.

Lifetime glory of R.Zh. Lalika was great. In 1900, at the World Exhibition in Paris, he was awarded the Grand Prix and the Order of the Legion of Honor. The works of the Parisian jeweler were included in exhibitions in many European countries. At the 1926 World Exhibition he already had his own pavilion.

The Lalique company continued to exist after the death of the great master, who died on May 5, 1945 in Paris in the eighty-sixth year of his long and colorful life. And today fashionistas all over the world highly value inimitable jewelry, mysteriously elegant perfume bottles, fantastic vases and even... unforgettable perfume aromas.

Not so long ago, only a few people collected perfume bottles. And today, numerous owners of significant collections of them participate in auctions in Drouot and Paris. The cost of some of the presented specimens often reaches fabulous sizes. Buyers are most often American collectors or large companies operating in the perfume niche of the market. The presence of a label on the bottle and its own packaging further increases the price of the lot at auction. But restored copies are absolutely not taken into account by connoisseurs and collectors.

Some perfume bottles, without exaggeration, have become works of art. In this niche, without a doubt, number one is the unsurpassed Rene Lalique, who created bottles for Coty, Roget, Gallet, "Hubigant", "d"Orsay", "Worth", "Molinard", "Guerlain", Nina Ricci (“Nina Ricci”), “Lelong” (“Lelong”) and other perfumers, who largely determined their success.

Bottle of Lalique “Le Baiser Du Faune” for “Molinard” 1928

Both in the last century and today, some of the most beautiful, interesting and affordable bottles worthy of decorating any collection are perfumes from Lalique. You can easily see this from the photographs presented in this gallery, and meanwhile we will tell the life story of the great master...

Lalique lamp “Oiseau de Feu” or “Firebird” (“Firebird”)

Lalique lamp “Deux Paons” (“Two Peacocks”), 1920

Rene Lalique

The genius Rene Jules Lalique (1860 - 1945) was born in the town of Ay (Marne department) on April 6, 1860. At the age of 16, the young man was apprenticed to a jeweler, after which he continued his studies at the Paris School of Decorative Arts, and then, from 1878 to 1880, he improved himself in the jewelry workshops of London. Rene Lalique worked on orders from the Cartier house, and then in the workshop of Destapa, who handed over the management of his enterprise to him in 1886.

Rene Jules Lalique

Alphonse Fouquet said of the young Lalique: “Until now I did not know a single jewelry designer - and I have just met the first.” He turned out to be right - at the World Exhibition of 1900, Rene Lalique's products were a dizzying success. He was awarded the Grand Prix and in the same year was awarded the Order of the Legion of Honor. The famous Sarah Bernhardt becomes one of his customers. They wrote that it was Madame Bernard who introduced Lalique to the Kuwaiti tycoon Calouste Gulbenkian, who later became the main patron of the talented jeweler. By the way, today the Calouste Gulbenkian Museum in Lisbon displays the world's largest collection of works by Rene Lalique - about 150 items.

Bottle of Lalique "Leurs Ames" for "d"Orsay", 1913

Since the end of the First World War, since 1910, Lalique has been producing glass products in a factory in Combe-la-Ville, and since 1918 in a larger plant located in Vingen-sur-Modere, Alsace. The maestro experiments a lot with glass, his sphere of interests is unusually wide. From his hands comes beautiful jewelry, in the production of which Lalique actively uses colored glass, original vases and lamps, as well as very stylish and dynamic decorations for the radiators of expensive cars, the first of which was made by personal order of Henri Citroen.

High technology Lalique

Since Rene spent a long time improving as a jeweler, he made his first glass works using the “vanishing wax” jewelry technique. A little later, already at the plant in Vingens-sur-Moder, Lalique developed and introduced the technology of glass injection molding. It is with the use of this innovation that he begins to produce especially beautiful vases, lamps and even sculptures. The recipe for the famous “opalescent glass” of Lalique is still a “company secret”.

Bottle of Lalique “Ondines”, 1998

Bright distinctive feature The master's works include the use of glass with a patina applied to it, colored glass and colored enamel. Rene's imagination knows no bounds: in his creations he finds a place for heroes of ancient myths, fancy flowers and animals, beautiful nymphs with curly locks and intricate draperies. Because models are cast in molds, Lalique's creations traditionally combine simple geometric silhouettes with whimsical and elegant decoration.

Lalique "Commedia" bottle

Lalique enterprises at that time produced a fairly wide range of glass products, including vases and figurines, tableware and decorative tableware, chandeliers and lamps, jewelry and large decorative panels. In the 20s of the twentieth century, the master’s works were very popular, in particular, at the Paris “International Exhibition of Decorative Arts” in 1925, Lalique’s panels and other products became one of the main decorations of the French exposition.

Bottle of Lalique “Deux Coeurs” (“Two Hearts”)

Lalique “Butterfly” bottle

Perfume bottles

With the help of glass, Rene Lalique was able to realize his long-time dream: to make beauty accessible to many. This was greatly facilitated by the creation of crystal bottles for perfume compositions by Francois Coty. Their creative union dates back to 1905, when Coty opened his own brand store on Place Vendôme in Paris, not far from the workshop of Rene Lalique. The first bottle that Coty ordered from Lalique became “clothing” for the then new floral scent, the name of which was given by the famous variety of rose - “Jacmino”. The success of the fragrance was simply deafening, and the duo of Lalique and Coty continued their work. In 1908, a new masterpiece appeared - a bottle for cologne "L" Effleurt ("Touch"), made of baccarat crystal, with a relief plate of dark glass instead of a label. Over the next few years, the artist designed 16 perfume bottles for François Coty.

Bottle of Lalique “Soir Antique” (Antique Evening), 1920

Vintage perfume bottle from Lalique

Bottle of Lalique “La Sirene”

Another vintage perfume bottle from Lalique

Bottle of Lalique “Oeillet Maison” (Carnation in the house)

Bottle of Lalique “Eucalyptus” (“Eucalyptus”)

Bottle of Lalique “Deux Fleurs” (“Two Flowers”), 1930

Other perfume manufacturers, following the example of François Coty, also turn to the maestro with orders. Lalique is designing new perfume bottles for the brands Roget&Gallet, Hubigant, d'Orsay, Worth, Molinard, Guerlain, Lelong... In total, Rene Lalique has designed bottles for more than 250 scents!

Bottle of Lalique “Claire Fontaine” (Claire Fontaine)

Work by Lalique “Pomme” (“Apple”)

Fame and recognition

Jeweler and artist Rene Jules Lalique is rightfully considered one of the founders of the Art Nouveau style. Against the backdrop of intensive mechanization of jewelry, he always exalted the importance of individual creativity and, first of all, manual labor. IN last years Throughout his life, the maestro was involved a lot in the design of large objects - hotels, churches, restaurants, and even the steamship "Normandie" was decorated by the Lalique company.

Lalique “Nu” bottle

Light panels, chandeliers, sconces, door panels, columns, serving items, dishes, interior decorations, fountains and much more were produced by the company in the 1930s - 1940s. Lalique created combs, buckles and various decorations, using, in addition to traditional gold, silver and precious stones, horn, as well as semi-precious stones, which in general had almost gone out of use by that time. Needless to say, Rene Lalique’s talent and hard work have been recognized by a huge number of various awards!

Bottle of Lalique “Sylphide” (“Sylphide”)

In the history of world jewelry art, the name of Rene Lalique is on a par with the names of such famous masters as Carl Faberge, Frederic Boucheron, Louis-François Cartier, Louis Tiffany. The Lalique house continued to exist after the death of the great master, who died on May 5, 1945 in Paris in the eighty-sixth year of his long and colorful life. Rene Lalique's company was headed by his son, Marc Lalique, and then by his granddaughter, Marie-Claude.

After World War II, Nina Ricci became the main client of the Lalique House. The famous intertwining doves on the cap of the perfume “Nina Ricci L" Air du Temps” are an excellent example of the creativity of his followers:

Bottle of Lalique "Nina Ricci L" Air du Temps", 1951

Perfume Lalique

Rene Lalique became a legend of his era. The works of the Parisian jeweler were included in the exhibitions of many European countries, and in 2010 a major exhibition of his works was held in the Moscow Kremlin. However, the Lalique brand is famous not only for jewelry and glassware. Today Lalique also means unforgettable perfume aromas!

Lalique fragrance “Perles de Lalique”

Bottle of Lalique “Living Lalique”, released in limited edition in the collection series “Crystal Edition”, price of the fragrance is 1800 USD

Lalique “Living Lalique” eau de parfum, released in limited edition in the “Crystal Edition” collection series

Lalique "Deux Coeurs" ("Two Hearts") is an updated version of the famous bestseller by René Lalique. The bottle was released in 2004 in a limited edition in the collection series “Lalique Collectible Crystal”

Lalique bottle, released in 2016 in a limited edition in the collection series “Lalique Collectible Crystal”

Lalique bottle, released in 2017 in a limited edition in the collection series “Lalique Collectible Crystal”

Lalique “Les Elfes” fragrance, 2002, limited edition in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series, bottle volume 75 milliliters, price 600 USD

Lalique “Libellule” fragrance 2013, limited edition in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series, bottle volume 100 milliliters, price 1800 USD

Lalique fragrance “Deux Paons” (“Two Peacocks”) 2014, released in limited edition in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series, bottle volume 100 milliliters, price 1800 USD

Lalique fragrance “Sheherazade” (“Sheherazade”) 2008, released in limited edition in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series, bottle volume 30 milliliters, price 600 USD

Lalique “Sillage” fragrance 2012, released in limited edition in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series, bottle volume 30 milliliters, price 1800 USD

The Lalique “Butterfly” fragrance is an updated version of the famous bestseller by Rene Lalique. The bottle was released in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series in 2003, bottle volume 60 milliliters, price 600 USD

Lalique “Plumes” fragrance 2015, released in limited edition in the “Lalique Crystal Extract” series, bottle volume 80 milliliters, price 1800 USD

René Lalique (1860-1945) - lord of glass
(Lalique. L'Homme de verre)

Rene Lalique is still talked about only in superlatives. He was an amazingly versatile talent: a brilliant designer and successful entrepreneur, an exquisite jeweler and an exquisite master of artistic glassmaking.

As a jeweler, he did the impossible: he forced women to abandon gold, diamonds and rough diamonds for ordinary glass, semi-precious stones and gems, amber, jasper, enamel, horns and tortoiseshells. Images and figures emerged from the mystical fog of Art Nouveau: snakes, dragonflies and scarabs, peacocks and ears of wheat, sensual silhouettes of a woman in whom one could discern the charming image of Augustine-Alice Ledru, Rodin’s friend and daughter of the sculptor Auguste Ledru.

Augustina-Alice ( pictured with Rene Lalique) became a muse, closest friend and good advisor in Rene’s creative workshop. It is believed that some jewelry designs were created by Alice or with her participation.

In the history of jewelry, the name Rene Lalique is on a par with famous masters: the brilliant creator of “Faberge eggs”, the Russian master Carl Faberge, the famous French jewelers Frederic Boucheron and Louis Francois Cartier, the famous American artist and designer Louis Tiffany.

At the turn of the 19th and 20th centuries, the dominant style of decorative and applied art in France was Art Nouveau (French. art nouveau), easily recognizable by its whimsical curved lines floral ornament and wavy "flowing" female figures. One of the most prominent representatives of this style was Rene Lalique. It is he who owns the rule of three “Fs” - femme, faune, flore(woman, fauna, flora) - and he followed it tirelessly. Experts have always noted that “Lalique is the only naturalist who can admire the beauty of nature without becoming a pedantic botanist.”

At the age of 16, left without a father, he decided to use his artistic abilities and went to study in London to become a jeweler. Rene knew how to draw and loved from early childhood. At the age of 20, he returned to Paris and soon began working as a simple draftsman at the House of Cartier, then with Destapes and Boucharon. His drawings attracted the attention of famous masters, and they willingly began to make their new models based on his sketches, initially hiding the name of the author. However, already in 1885, Lalique opened his own small boutique in the city center, and soon became famous among secular beauties and aristocrats.

Sarah Bernhardt orders him numerous necklaces and tiaras for her stage costumes, millionaire Calouste Gulbenkian becomes his devoted admirer and collector, Emile Galle, his colleague and eternal rival, represents him at the World Exhibition in Paris in 1900 and shares the Grand Prix with him. At 40 years old, Rene Lalique is the winner of the most prestigious award and a holder of the Legion of Honor.

However, despite the impressive triumph at the World Exhibition, the title of the first Art Nouveau jeweler, commercial success and wealthy admirers, Lalique is looking for a new use for his talent, and, instead of expanding production, he curtails his jewelry activities and devotes himself to a new hobby - glass.

This time, the path of the new “glazier” comes across the most necessary person for this, one of the largest perfumers of the 20th century, as well as a successful industrialist, engineer and entrepreneur Francois Coty. Or maybe it was the other way around, and it was the meeting with Francois Coty that changed Rene Lalique’s priorities. One way or another, Rene receives an offer from the most popular perfumer of the “Belle Epoque” to create bottles for his perfume company.

True, there is another, no less beautiful legend: why did Lalique decide to work in crystal and glass? As a child, Rene loved to draw and could depict almost anything. The only thing he couldn't capture on paper was the clouds. He saw their smooth transformations, endless imagery and fluidity, but could not “stop the moment.” And now, years later, he found something that helped him embody the elusive beauty of clouds. It was crystal.

Now Lalique practically abandoned the use of precious stones in favor of this impossible, alchemical material - malleable, hard and fragile at the same time. Jewelry craftsmanship faded into the background, which high-society beauties regarded as a disaster. In 1912, he organized a farewell exhibition of his products, presenting his best opals, mother-of-pearls, and enamels. They say that the most sensitive people cried on it.

Meanwhile, the first perfume of François Coty saw the light - Rose Jacqueminot, "Rosa Jacquemino", named after the rose variety "General Jacquemino" popular at the time. They say that in a boutique that refused to sell him perfume, Coty broke the bottle on the floor. Feeling the wonderful smell, visitors immediately began to ask what kind of perfume it was - Rose Jacqueminot became famous in an instant. Soon Coty became the most popular perfumer, and just a few months after his creation Rose Jacqueminot he made his first million.

However, François Coty, as the creator of fragrances, believed that perfumes should be presented in a decent frame. Another legend says that while walking along the shops on Place Vendôme, Coty noticed original jewelry in one of the windows. The impression of what he saw was so strong that he decided to meet the owner of these amazing items. These were the works of Rene Lalique.

Coty made him an offer of cooperation, according to which only sketches of bottles were required from the artist, and the implementation of the idea would be carried out, as was then customary, at the Baccarat factory. But Lalique could not trust the embodiment of his ideas into the hands of others, and the famous Baccarat glassblowers did not allow a “stranger” into their domain. After short negotiations, Rene Lalique implemented his project at the Legra factory near Paris (founded in 1864).

Rene Lalique's bottle with François Coty's "Ambre Antique" fragrance became a real work of art and was honored to be reproduced after 85 years.

Over the next few years, the artist designed 16 perfume bottles for François Coty. There has been a real revolution in the creation of bottles and perfumes. The collaboration of two outstanding artists - a jeweler and a perfumer - led to the emergence of a new work of art, artistic perfume bottles.

Other perfume manufacturers, following the example of François Coty, also began to submit orders to the maestro. Lalique is designing new perfume bottles for the brands Roget&Gallet, Hubigant, d'Orsay, Worth, Molinard, Guerlain, Lelong... In total, Rene Lalique has designed bottles for more than 250 scents!

Perfume bottles have become a sought-after item for collectors. Numerous owners of such collections participate in auctions in Drouot and Paris. The cost of some of the presented specimens often reaches fabulous sizes. Buyers are most often American collectors or large companies operating in the perfume niche of the market.The presence of a label on the bottle and its own packaging further increases the price of the lot at auction. But restored copies, as is common in other forms of art, are absolutely not taken into account by connoisseurs and collectors.

After the First World War, Lalique at two factories (in Combe-la-Ville from 1910, and then, after the acquisition in 1918 of another, more large plant- in Vingen-sur-Moder (Alsace)) was engaged in the production of various glass products, including vases, lighting fixtures, jewelry using colored glass, and symbolic figures for automobile radiator grilles.

The first of them was commissioned by Henri Citroen for the Citroen 5CV - a figurine of five horses. During the trip, a special lighting system changed the color of the figure. Today, only 30 of these small masterpieces are known to the world and their price is higher than the price of gold of the same weight.

Among the most famous works of René Lalique are the vases Bacchantes, Archers, Perruches, crystal sculptures Suzanne, Tais, Floral, decorations for car radiators (later many of them became simply interior objects and are still produced today) - Crisis (Chrysis), Speed ​​(Vitesse), Victory (Victoire), Longchamps and many others.

Rene Lalique experimented a lot with glass. If his first works were carried out using the “vanishing wax” method (taken from jewelry techniques), then he developed and introduced the injection molding method at the plant in Vingens-sur-Moder. Many of his sculptures and vases were made this way.

Unusual colored glass, gradient coloring, glass with a patina (colored enamel) applied to it - all these are characteristic features of Rene Lalique’s products, and the recipe for his famous iridescent (opalescent) glass is still a “company secret”. The idea of ​​this glass was first used in Tiffany's stained glass windows. He obtained such glass by adding burnt bone or tin during the production process. The many tiny droplets that are formed in this case cause random refraction of light rays, creating the so-called “opal effect”. Depending on the quantity and type of such additives, the resulting effect changes, and, naturally, each master keeps the entire technology for manufacturing such materials secret.

An impeccable sculptural silhouette, a whimsical relief pattern that appears as if from the depths of glass, high level execution - in the 20s, the skill of Rene Lalique reached the pinnacle of popularity. At the International Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925, he showed the entire range of his products - vases, figurines, lighting, decorative panels, dishes, and, of course, jewelry, but different ones, made of corrugated glass. At the same time, he continued to adhere to the rule of three “Fs” that he had developed: woman and nature are the true source of his inspiration. The best Art Nouveau jeweler became the best glassmaker of Art Deco - a new artistic style in the years between the two world wars, a style that created the illusion of prosperity and "former luxury".

In the last years of his life, Lalique was engaged in “ large forms» - decoration of hotels, restaurants, churches, Pullman train cars and living quarters of steamships. So in 1932, the steamer Normandie was decorated completely from sconces to fountains by Lalique ( see the photo of the Normandie steamship restaurant).

The great master died in 1945 in Paris at the eighty-sixth year of his life. Nature did not rest on the children of Rene Lalique and Augustine Ledru. The daughter, son and granddaughter turned out to be talented and active people who maintained the high level of the family company. After the death of his father, the business was headed by his son, Marc Lalique, and then by his granddaughter Marie-Claude.

Modern Lalique items are characterized by the same principles - an abundance of images women's bodies and all kinds of flora and fauna. The collections are updated every season, but in each product there is a reflection bright style"Belle Epoque" From time to time, the company produces limited edition replicas of its great creations of the 20s - for example, the famous “Bacchae” or “Whirlpool” vases, and its fans have the chance to become owners of a museum-quality item.

In 2008, the company was bought by Swiss businessman Silvio Denz, a passionate admirer of the maestro and owner of the largest collection of Lalique products in the world. In 2010, on the 150th anniversary of the founder's birth, the Hommage à René Lalique collection was released, bringing to life many of René Lalique's historical works, which until then could only be seen in museums. In Alsace, a museum opened at the factory, designed by the bureau of the famous French architect Jean-Michel Wilmotte. The exhibition includes items from the collection of Lalique's granddaughter Marie-Claude and the new owner of the company.

Since Rene Lalique created his first products, little has changed: to this day, Lalique’s artistic creations fascinate with their extraordinary beauty, and they are still the privilege of people with good taste, knowledge of the subject and... big money. The price of Lalique products at auctions is tens of thousands of dollars. For example, the “Snake” vase ( photo on the left) 1924 - one of the most popular and expensive models, whether amber-opal, mother-of-pearl matte or dark silver glass, sold in the range of $12,000 - $58,000.

Sources -

Rene Lalique (1860 - 1945) - a magnificent jeweler, gold and silversmith, excellent draftsman, brilliant stylist, designer and master of art glass - belongs to the galaxy of the best artists of his time. His creations in the Art Nouveau style became classics of the 20th century during the master’s lifetime. And this man also did the impossible: he forced women to give up diamonds for ordinary glass.

He was born in a small French village in the Champagne region. Rene's parents moved to Paris when he was still very young, but every summer they visited the village, thanks to which Lalique constantly observed nature and then carefully stored these impressions in his memory.

Drawing of the “Forest” pendant. Paris, around 1899-1900.

Drawing of a butterfly "Big night peacock". Paris, circa 1906-1907

Pendant "Eli". Paris, 1900-1902 Gold, enamel, glass.

While still a completely unknown, novice master, Lalique brought his sketches to the then famous Frédéric Boucheron and Louis François Cartier, and they willingly bought them for next to nothing and produced their new models based on them. However, this could not last long. Soon Rene managed to open his own small boutique in the center of Paris, and his jewelry instantly won the hearts of fashionistas.

At that time, the Art Nouveau style had just become popular, and contemplation of nature, which the Europeans had adopted from the Japanese, had also become fashionable. Rene Lalique skillfully combines both in his works, as well as motifs borrowed from the poetry of Rimbaud and Verlaine. He also used materials in a way that no one had done before: he set simple glass in gold, he combined pearls and bone, jasper and enamels. And women were crazy about his creations - thin-winged dragonflies, graceful fish, mysterious frogs and weightless butterflies. Any woman who wore jewelry from Lalique became a beauty.

Soon Lalique began receiving orders from the richest people from all over the world, from royal families, museums and famous collectors. But suddenly the jeweler decided to abandon gold and precious stones and devote himself entirely to experiments with glass. In 1912, he organized a farewell exhibition of jewelry, presenting his best opals, mother-of-pearls, and enamels. And soon after that, he developed and released, together with his friend Francois Coty, a series of perfume bottles. Each one was unique and each one was a work of art! Almost immediately, all the largest perfume manufacturing companies entered into contracts with him. And Lalik acquired a glass production plant and began to master the skills of a manufacturer.

Unusual colored glass and glass with patina (colored enamel) applied to it are a characteristic feature of Lalique's works. The recipe for the famous opalescent glass is still a “company secret”.

Rene Lalique's next project was the decision to produce car decorations. Glass talismans attached to the radiator were called mascottes. Especially for the Prince of Gallia, Lalique made a magnificent figurine in the form of a galloping greyhound, and for the famous model of Rene Citroen Citroen 5CV - figurines of five horses. The lighting system made it possible to change their color during the trip - this was considered incredibly chic. Only 30 of these small masterpieces are known throughout the world, and collectors are willing to pay huge amounts of money for them.

For the Exhibition of Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925, Lalique decided to try his hand at architecture: the 15-meter glass fountain “Springs of France” he created, decorated with transparent caryatids, became another sensation. This was followed by the monumental chandeliers of the first class dining room for the luxury ship Normandy, the decoration of Pullman carriages for the International Sleeping Car Company, and the unique decoration of the doors of the reception hall in the palace of the Japanese prince Asaka Yasuhiko, today the Teien Museum in Tokyo.

The brilliant master died in 1945, but his work was continued by his talented son Mark. Mark Lalique was, in turn, succeeded in 1977 by his daughter, Marie-Claude. She became the main artist of the family enterprise and proposed to resume the half-forgotten lines developed by her great grandfather. She created the finest jacquard shawls, muslin scarves, handbags and belts, and in 1992 she presented her first perfume, Lalique de Lalique, and then Nilang de Lalique - naturally in original crystal bottles.

Brooch " Pansies» . Paris, circa 1903-1904. Glass, gold, diamonds, enamel.

From the founding of the company to this day, all glass production operations at the Alsace plant are carried out manually. If at least one air bubble is noticed in the transparent mass, ready product are mercilessly smashed. Today, the Lalique house releases at least three collections every year, and all of them are sold out during production. These collections include decorative items, glasses, decanters, elegant bottles for the bathroom, ashtrays, book stands, vases, and cups. Many models are created in limited editions of 99 pieces. After the last masterpiece is cast, the mold is destroyed - in the company’s catalogs they write: “the topic has been exhausted.” This model can only be bought at auctions.