Image © Schmuckmuseum Pforzheim / Photograph by Günther Meyer
Rene Lalique is renowned as one of the main protagonists of Art Nouveau. His designs in glass may have become more familiar but his jewellery defines his art. This distinctive pendant-brooch reflects the elegance, grace and fluidity that are the hallmarks of his work in gold.
The brooch takes the form of a swallow – "l’hirondelle" in French. This tiny bird has a strong symbolism in jewellery – swallows return home with every new summer, and so a gift of a swallow in gold represents a promise of faithfulness and constancy. Whilst this piece also seems to recall jewels of the 16th century, the modelling of the waves adds a contemporary sensuality to the design, as purposefully asymmetrical as the perfectly misshapen baroque pearl.