Art Nouveau Jewellery

 What is Art Nouveau Jewellery

Although the Art Nouveau period was short, (1890 to 1914), it still had a large influence on jewellery design and other types of fine and decorative art. It was a time of a flourishing art scene and increasing wealth, which was the ideal opportunity to try out other techniques, motifs, and materials. 

Art nouveau jewellery was created by a group of avant-garde artists in Belgium, France, and other parts of Europe when the Victorian period changed to the modern.

Art nouveau jewellery, with its free-floating designs inspired by nature, entirely new designs, and state-of-the-art materials, was a kind of reaction to the mass-produced jewellery of the time. It revived what had become standard realism, with new shapes taken from outside sources, which included the arts of Japan and the Arts and Crafts movement of Great Britain.

Artist/jewellers preferred to work with semi-precious and even non-precious materials, and their pieces are appreciated for their design excellence and originality, instead of the value of raw materials.

What were the influences on art nouveau jewellery?

The Symbolist movement, which was inspired by William Blake and the Pre-Raphaelites, was a huge influence on art nouveau. This, together with a few elements of the Arts and Crafts philosophy, was used to create a hugely diverse aesthetic, which reflected the political unease of the time.

Art nouveau jewellery was encouraged by the purity and daring of the recently prevalent Japonisme, a French description of the Western interest in Japanese art and was a prominent contrast to the typical Edwardian jewellery of the time. Even though similar-looking jewellery was available in other countries during that time, genuine art nouveau jewellery was most definitely French.

Common motifs and colours

Art nouveau pieces, with their pale, muted colours, and undulating, flowing curves, were frequently romantic, mystical, and soft. The flora and fauna, like butterflies and dragonflies, and the nymph-like female figures, were changed into decorative forms and translated into patterns that were frequently overflowing with symbolic meanings that signified the Fin de Siècle spirit of that period. 

 

Why were women depicted in art nouveau jewellery?

The female form, together with floral and insect motifs, was romanticised and eroticised at the same time, and suggested sexuality. This was probably due to the way the role of women was changing at the time, supporting the Women’s Suffrage movement that spread to countries in Europe early in the 20th century.

It is no surprise at all, that the women who loved wearing art nouveau jewellery, were the bohemian, wealthy women of that time, like La Belle Otero (1868 to 1965), socialite Countess Greffulhe (1860 to 1952), and actress Sara Bernhardt (1844 to 1923).

What techniques were used in art nouveau jewellery?

The purpose of art nouveau jewellery was to bring craftsmanship and originality back to jewellery, with many items being one-off creations. Techniques used to make art nouveau jewellery included:

• Plique-a-jour – also referred to as backless enamel, it lets light come through the back of the enamel, giving a distinctive 3-D quality, creating a light, translucent effect

• Basse-Taille – low reliefs, normally in gold or silver and created by engraving, was often used in combination with plique-a-jour

• Guilloche – repetitive, intricate patterns engraved mechanically into the underlying material

Preferred materials

Art nouveau jewellers moved away from tradition and put more emphasis on the settings of their designs, instead of the gemstone itself. This opened the way for experimenting with stunning enamelling techniques as well as other materials, like semi- and non-precious stones. More emphasis was also placed on hand-crafted skills and redefining ideas of how the value was determined.

This resulted in metals and gems being used in inventive ways together with more uncommon materials like amber, horn, glass, blister pearls, and glass, set in dainty goldwork. Amethyst, moonstone, amber, opal, peridot, freshwater pearls, and citrine were common, and diamonds were used mainly as accent stones. 

 

Well-known art nouveau jewellery makers

Rene Lalique – Rene Lalique (1860 to 1945), the French glass designer and goldsmith, is probably the most well-known art nouveau jewellery maker. His creations, which had a profound influence all over Europe, exemplified the very core of the movement. One of his many contributions was the development of new subtle hues that could change colour in natural light, all through the day.

In addition to this, Lalique also used a range of new materials successfully, to compliment his subtle colouring. These materials included amber, semi-precious stones, tortoise-shell, mother-of-pearl, horn, pearl, as well as base metals. His pieces, frequently created as hybrids, are distinguishable because of their unique ability to mix elements of painting, sculpture, and the Arts and Crafts movement.

Lalique often used fragile and exotic materials in his designs, mainly enamel, horn, and moulded glass, which was revolutionary for the time, as well as his choice of iconography. He broke free from the historical styles, by basing his creations on bird, insect, and plant shapes, and celebrated their forms by covering his pieces with the most painstaking attention to detail.

Henri Vever – Henri Vever (1854 to 1942), became part of the art nouveau movement when he exhibited his pieces in the new style, in 1900, at the Salon in Paris, even though the House of Vever had already been founded years before, in 1821.

Georges Fouquet – Georges Fouquet (1862 to 1957), was another important artist/jeweller of the time. He became famous when he collaborated with Alphonse Mucha, an unknown Czech painter at the time. An exquisite serpentine bracelet made of gold, diamonds, enamel, and opal, was a piece of jewellery that Fouquet designed especially for Sarah Bernhardt, a famous actress of that time. When it was sold in 1987 at Christie’s, for $757.246, roughly the equivalent of around $1 million today, it was then, and still is today, the highest-priced art nouveau jewellery item sold at an auction, ever!

Eugene Feuill Tre, Leopold Gautrait, and Lucian Galliard were other well-known art nouveau jewellers of that era.

In conclusion

Its short term in history, together with the delicate materials used, makes it exceptionally difficult to find art nouveau jewellery these days, that is in excellent condition. This also makes these rare examples extremely sought-after at auctions, with prices that are sky-high!

Unusual art nouveau pieces that are in excellent condition, can sell for anything from tens of thousands of dollars to several hundred thousand, with items at times even selling for more than double their estimated value!

Typical eccentric and free-flowing art nouveau pieces made by lesser-known jewellers can be purchased for just a few thousand dollars, making them extremely attractive and more attainable to collectors. You can do a search online for many reputable vintage or antique jewellery businesses that can help you chose and offer advice for the perfect Art Nouveau jewellery piece to add to your jewellery collection. 

You May Also Like: Investing in Estate Jewellery