International studio (14.1901)

Jewellers Art in France

CLASP

SOME RECENT EXAMPLES OF
THE JEWELLERS’ ART IN
FRANCE.

It is good to see how, thanks to the
intelligent and bold efforts on the part of certain
artists and art workers, followed by certain
manufacturers — the latter, naturally and quite
justifiably, with an eye to the main chance—little
by little art is penetrating into every branch of
modern activity. Real progress is being made, as
even the most obstinate opponents of all novelty
in this direction must admit; for the fact stares
them in the face. Let us not be lulled, however,
into a blissful dream of satisfied optimism. As we
have endeavoured more than once to point out
in The Studio, the movement—so far as
French designers are concerned, at least—is beset by
dangers springing from certain tendencies, certain
excesses against which sound criticism justly pro-
tests. There is, indeed, no principle more per-
nicious, more barren of artistic result, however it
may seem, than that of “novelty for novelty’s
sake; originality for the sake of originality.” If
a thing is novel and original it is so of itself, and is
not due to any striving thereafter; it is novel and
original simply because the creator of it is blessed
with an honest and personal vision, a special faculty
for observing and interpreting Nature.

The jeweller’s art has unquestionably made more
progress and been more fertile of good results in
France than any other branch of applied art during
the last few years. The pre-eminence of the
French artists is evident in jewellery as in medal

SILVER VASE

BV R. LALIQUE

25

work; they
were the first
to gain their
freedom and
to work as
“ moderns; ”
the perfection
of technique
and the fresh-
ness of con-
ception seen
in their pro-
ductions are
such as to
make these
latter absolute
models of their
kind, con-
stituting a
source whence

other decorators may draw inexhaustible supplies

BY R. LALIQUE