Mourey, Vallance – Art Nouveau Jewellery & Fans – 1973

cm. 28 x 20,5, pp. 150, brossura, in ottime condizioni.

When the Art Nouveau style exploded in Europe around the turn of the century, it was applied to many areas of design and life. It soon became obvious that jewelry was one of the Art Nouveau arts par excellence. The ductile metals lent themselves well to the whiplash line and the theory of organic composition that lay behind Art Nouveau; the artifacts themselves were not especially functional, and lent themselves well to surface decoration; and the bizarre, sometimes humorous, fanciful nature of the style found fine representation in the world of glittering gems.

Published during the height of the Art Nouveau movement, around 1903, this present volume assembled the finest jewelry products of leading designers in the style. Including work by Bing, Lalique, van de Velde, Gurschner, Robert Koch, Boutet de Monvel, Ashbee, and others, it assembled artifacts from the important centers of the style: France, Austria, Belgium, Denmark, Germany, and Great Britain (including the Glasgow School). Brooches, pendants, combs, rings, necklaces, plaques, hairpins, buttons, scarf pins, clasps, buckles are shown in clear photographs, while introductory sections by experts evaluate and comment on each national tradition. Fans, too, are included, with work by Nellie Syrett, Frank Brangwyn, Jessie King, and others.

Artifacts of stunning beauty, these pieces of now-antique jewelry are now prime collector’s items. They have also been used by generations of designers, jewelers, and metalworkers as a source for ideas, techniques, and inspirations.