Footnotes

• Ilias Lalaounis, born in 1920, was the fourth generation of a family of goldsmiths and watchmakers from Delphi. In the 1950's, after taking over the family firm, he revived several goldsmith techniques such as granulation (the process of forming grains), filigree (gold work made with tiny beads and or twisted threads), hand-weaving (a method in which two distinct sets of threads are interlaced at right angles) and hand-hammering. These forgotten techniques would make his jewellery immediately recognisable, mixing old and modern techniques, and using 18, 20 and 22 carat gold. In 1957 he exhibited his first archaeological collection inspired by Prehistoric, Classical, Hellenistic and Minoean Myceanaen art. A few years later he opened his own company located at the foot of the Acropolis. He became the first goldsmith to be honoured at the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Ilias Lalaounis has created over 17,000 pieces and The Ilias Lalaounis Jewellery Museum in Athens is now devoted to the pieces he designed between 1940 and 2000.

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Category: Jewellery

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