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Lot 14
An enamel and glass Medusa pendant, René Lalique, circa 1905
19 September 2017, 13:00 EDT
New YorkUS$30,000 - US$50,000
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An enamel and glass Medusa pendant, René Lalique, circa 1905
decorated with plique-à-jour enameling, and a carved glass face; signed Lalique, with maker's mark; gross weight approximately: 53.30 grams; mounted in 18k gold; length: 4 1/2in.
Footnotes
Master jeweler Rene Lalique was born in the Marne region of France in 1860 and died in Paris in 1945. He worked as an independent jeweler creating and manufacturing classical bijoux for various and important jewelry houses including Boucheron, La Cloche, and Cartier; and opened his first boutique in 1885.
In his jewelry, Lalique fused the creation of new themes and forms with certain materials little-used until that time. Lalique was, without doubt, an innovator. He was known for portraying women in an ethereal profile with undulating hair, specifically Medusa, who is represented in this piece.
During the turn of the century, enamel occupied an honored place in his jewelry and he used it unsurprisingly. From plique-à-jour, champlevé, translucent, opalescent and carving, Lalique used enamel in fluid and rippled lines to give his character's expression and movement. In this pendant, Lalique focuses on mixing blue and green enamel to simulate the depth and play of color found in opal.