Chaumet exhibition celebrates the golden age of jewellery design in Paris
A Chaumet exhibition, ‘Un Âge d’Or’, in Place Vendôme, puts jewellery designs from 1965 – 1985 in the spotlight
To step into the Chaumet exhibition, ‘Un Âge d’Or’, in Paris is to step back in time, into an era where avant-garde design entered the jewellery mainstream. Held in Chaumet’s home on the Place Vendôme, the exhibition, curated by Vanessa Cron, celebrates designs from the period 1965 – 1985, with jewellery from the brand joining exquisite objets d’art.
Furniture by Pierre Paulin, tapestries by Victor Vasarely, a ‘Togo’ sofa designed by Michel Ducaroy with Floraly fabric, a Gavrinis rug, fashion by Dior and Paco Rabanne and lithographs by Andy Warhol set the scene for the jewellery, which was in its most experimental era. In a direction spearheaded by René Morin, who joined Chaumet in 1962, and later by Pierre Sterlé, who joined the maison in 1976, jewellery became playful.
Flora and fauna, delicately drawn in precious materials, made for unexpected motifs alongside musical instruments, birds of paradise caught in flight and unicorns carved from blocks of lapis lazuli. Morin’s unique vision can be admired in his exceptional series of Baccarat crystal blocks, which he translated into his ‘Bestiaire Fabuleux’ series, comprising 37 animals brought to life in textured gold and crystal – some of which are able to view at the show.
Previously unseen pieces have been called in from around the globe, including from the collections of Annick Morin (wife of the late René Morin), the Mobilier National, Ligne Roset, the Musée de la Chasse et de la Nature, the houses of Baccarat, Dior and Rabanne, and the Mahnaz New York, Kimberly Klosterman and Faerber collections. They come to life against a backdrop of advertisements of the time, which placed the model as the powerful centre of the image, facing the camera and adorned with offbeat jewels.
It was a change of direction encapsulated in the opening of Chaumet’s boutique next to its home at 12 Place Vendôme in 1970. Bernard Cognard was at the helm of L’Arcade, a clean modernist space that made a natural home for the more avant-garde designs that were being produced. Traditional techniques were rethought, with gold reworked into brutalist, rougher forms in an elegant alternating of matte and rough surfaces, or forms so polished they become mirror-like in their brilliance. In other pieces, a bronze panther clutching a mother-of-pearl flower in its mouth takes on a rich patina, while a military trophy in coral, carnelian and malachite, with gold and diamonds, celebrates the introduction of bold new colours.
‘Chaumet Un Âge d’Or’ is at 12 Place Vendôme, Paris 1er. It is open to the public from Thursday 5 October to Sunday 5 November 2023, 11am to 7pm, Tuesday to Saturday inclusive, reservation required: www.chaumet.com/fr_en/golden-age
Wallpaper* Newsletter
Receive our daily digest of inspiration, escapism and design stories from around the world direct to your inbox.
Hannah Silver is the Art, Culture, Watches & Jewellery Editor of Wallpaper*. Since joining in 2019, she has overseen offbeat design trends and in-depth profiles, and written extensively across the worlds of culture and luxury. She enjoys meeting artists and designers, viewing exhibitions and conducting interviews on her frequent travels.
-
Christmas gift ideas for design lovers
Wallpaper* global design director Hugo Macdonald compiles his festive wish list – from Poltrona Frau's luxurious dog leads to Carl Aubock's wicker magazine wall rack
By Hugo Macdonald Published
-
‘I want to push it forward’: Dries Van Noten’s new creative director is Julian Klausner
A member of the Dries Van Noten design team since 2018, Belgian designer Julian Klausner has been promoted to creative director after the namesake founder’s exit from his eponymous label earlier this year
By Jack Moss Published
-
Inside Dior’s ‘Gold House’ in Bangkok, a spectacular celebration of Thai art and craft
Daven Wu takes a trip to Bangkok to discover ‘Gold House’, a gilded new concept store from Dior which is rooted in both Parisian savoir-faire and artisanal Thai craft, featuring a café, gardens and showstopping gilded facade
By Daven Wu Published
-
Chaumet’s new book celebrates its most memorable collaborations with photographers
'Chaumet: Photographers’ Gaze' unites jewellery editorials and campaigns captured by major photographers. Co-author Carol Woolton tells us of the ‘addictive' Chaumet archive
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Chaumet, Cartier and Chanel up their high jewellery watch game for 2024
In 2024's high jewellery watch designs, performance tech and centuries-old techniques combine to brilliant effect
By Caragh McKay Published
-
High jewellery with dazzling effects
Stand-out gems dazzle against a backdrop of red and black in our high jewellery shoot
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Paris 2024 and Chaumet unveil Olympic and Paralympic medals
The Paris 2024 Olympic and Paralympic medals designed by Chaumet are not just emblems of champions but are storytelling jewellery
By Minako Norimatsu Published
-
Chunky chains are given a subversive high jewellery spin
High jewellery houses rewrite the rules by way of 1980s tunes and a blast of emeralds, spinels and diamonds
By Caragh McKay Published
-
Year in review: top 10 watch and jewellery stories of 2023, as picked by Wallpaper’s Hannah Silver
Silver’s top 10 watch and jewellery stories of 2023 span cool horological collaborations, sculptural forms, and cutlery as bracelets
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Chaumet’s high jewellery nods to naturalistic traditions
Chaumet presents its new high jewellery collection in four chapters
By Hannah Silver Published
-
Bee my love: Chaumet draws honeycombs in fluid gold and diamonds
Chaumet’s new additions to the ‘Bee My Love’ jewellery collection nod to the jewellery maison’s heritage
By Hannah Silver Published