To celebrate the opening of Iridescence, on view through March 24, 2019, Object of the Day this week will feature iridescent objects in the collection. William Harper’s hand-crafted jewelry includes brooches, pendants, and necklaces, each telling a story of their own. Harper specializes in cloisonné enameling, an ancient decorative technique that has remained virtually unchanged...
An oarsman reclines on a sphinx’s scaly tail in this design for a pendant. Enameled, bejeweled, and dangling from a noblewoman’s gown, the imperious sphinx would appear fully tamed. Like the other marine monsters in this series of pendant designs by Hans Collaert, she symbolizes the sea’s abundance, harnessed by Flemish fishermen and merchants. These...
This vase was designed and made by Hilda Jesser. Jesser attended the Kunstgewerbeschule (School of Applied Arts) in Vienna from 1914 until 1917 where she took classes with members of the Wiener Werkstätte whom she designed for from 1916 to 1921. During her time as a student at the Kunstgewerbeschule she primarily focused on fashion...
Born and raised in a creative atmosphere dedicated to decorative arts, Suzanne Lalique (1892-1989) was encouraged by her father René, the well-known designer of jewelry and glassware, to participate in the family enterprise. From 1920 to 1930, a large part of the Lalique glass production was inspired by her watercolors, that reveal her passion for...
An early September drive into New Hampshire took me out of my routine, away from my desk, and encouraged me to slow down and catch the transition from summer to autumn, something I’ve missed in recent years. The warm and intense autumn colors of New England foliage were a special treat, and come to mind as I study,...
