Rene Lalique Flashcards
When was Rene Lalique born ?
1860
When did Rene Lalique die ?
1945
Where was Rene originally from ?
France
What happened to Rene when he was 16 ?
He got an apprenticeship with the Parisian jeweller, Louis Aucoc.
Where did Rene move to in 1878 and what for ?
He moved to London to attend Sydenham Art College.
How long was Rene at the Sydenham Art College ?
Till 1880.
What did Rene mainly focus on ?
jewellery within the art nouveau and art deco time period
What was one of his major influences ?
natural and women forms which would be the focal point of his pieces.
What was Rene a strong believer in ?
handcraft products instead of mass produced items.
What are the 2 designs did you look at ?
‘Dragonfly Woman’ and ‘The Cockerel Diadem’
When were Rene designs made ?
both made in 1897-1898
What materials did Rene often use ?
enamel, gold and animal horn
What types of materials did Rene use ?
variety of semi-precious and precious materials
In terms of Rene’s ‘Cockeral Diadem’, what was the cost of the materials which he used ?
very expensive materials that some of them were inaccessible in the UK, so they had to be imported in.
What did Rene use the diamonds for in the ‘Cockeral Diadem’?
To create a feather texture for the wings.
What material did he use in the Cockeral Diadem to add a hint of colour ?
turquoise enamel
What was the main focal point of the Cockeral Diadem ?
The cockerel head with the amethyst stone for inside the cockerels beak.
Why are Rene’s very high-priced materials appropriate for the styles he is trying to convey?
They are extremely intricate and decorative which was a main trend within the art nouveau time period.
Rene’s Cockeral Diadem was handcrafted, therefore what does that say about his techniques ?
They were quite complex.
What techniques did he use in both of his designs ?
‘plique a jour’ technique
What did he use the ‘plique a jour’ technique for in the Cockeral Diadem ?
When he was filling the flat areas with turquoise green enamel.
What effect does the single layered wirework have on the Cockeral Diadem ?
create a delicate cage like effects.
What did Rene use on the Cockeral Diadem to make different thicknesses along with hand-carved animal horn ?
Easy moulding gold
How effective was the use of the mould gold and animal horn on the Cockeral Diadem ?
extremely effective because of the amount of elaborate fine detail as well as the tactile texture.
What effect does the subtle tones have on the Cockeral Diadem ?
Effectively give the broaches a organic feel
What was happening at the same time when Rene was making the broaches ?
the industrial revolution
What was happening during the industrial revolution in terms of mass production ?
mass production was a substantial industry where traditional pieces of art where being copied and then sold cheaper so that working class people could afford to have these items.
How did Rene feel about the industrial revolution ?
The industrial revolution only made Lalique furious and he revolted against mass productions so his work was all good quality handcraftsmanship.
What was Rene culturally influenced by ?
His work was culturally influenced by eastern art, craftsmanship and high quality items
What do we have to take into account so that a product will sell and make a profit ?
its function and ergonomics of the product
What is meant by ergonomics ?
how it sits on the body, what size it is, is it lightweight and will it stay on.
What did Rene have to focus on when making the Dragonfly ?
The balance of the broach so that if someone put it on it would stay the right way up instead of tilting, as well as the size of the pin to clip into onto the clothing, it had to be quite big so that it could be attached to a thick piece of clothing (e.g. wool).The product has to be attractive and eye-catching so aesthetics are important whether you want you’re product to be a one-off, elegant detailed piece or you want it to be vibrant, decorative or dynamic. The production methods have to be stable and safe.
Who did Rene target his designs at ?
Targeted at high class, wealthy women who were interested in fashion.
