The lord of glass, a magician, a ladies' man,hooligan and bespredilschik from the world of jewelry fashion - which only epithets were not rewarded by Rene Lalik in his lifetime, and many years after his death ... His name is a synonym for an amazing world outlook reflected in the game of colors and light, a synonym for unconditional taste, desire for new discoveries, experiments, fearlessness before the violation of the generally accepted, all understandable, but sometimes incredibly boring rules and norms.
Young Artist
Paris, the end of the XIX century. Renee works as a simple apprentice in a jewelry shop. She studies, tries, draws bold sketches and already does not doubt that he has a great destiny for him.
Sketches of jewelry by René Lalique at the timebought Busheron and Cartier. According to the drawings of the young artist, jewelry was made and issued with the stamp of jewelers known at that time. There was something in the sketches of Lalique, from which breathtaking: and gusts of wind, and bronze radiance of dragonfly wings, and the depth of the ocean. Rene always subtly felt the Woman, saw in her beautiful, knew what she could fall in love with, only once glancing ...
First workshop
Of course, the sale of sketches did not bring Reneelarge income. But it was not about money at all - he just wanted to create. And do not write on paper, no! He wanted to cast metal, blow glass, grind and grind, catch wonderful moments and doom them for eternity, as a drop of pitch in times immemorial caught the midge, stopped and turned into amber.
Lalik opened the first workshop in the center of the worldfashionable capital. And they started talking about him, they just started to sing it. He was worshiped by secular beauties, aristocrats, daughters of the most aristocratic houses of the Old World. In the same way, he won the hearts of subreets, artists, lionesses of the half-light.
Any woman, wearing an ornament from Lalique,felt myself involved in magic. Beetles, fish, snakes - everything, from what the muslin girls once lost consciousness, has now become the object of lust. And again to fainting.
Lalique sang in his works everything beautiful. Even the insects and reptiles that emerged from under his incisor were struck by refinement, grace, harmonious proportions.
Destroying stereotypes
Jeweler Rene Lalique neglected the generally acceptednorms. If he needed a piece of brass or a glass for the emphasis in the work of platinum and diamonds, then it was he who took it. Framing in a noble metal river pearls? Easily! Combine the beautiful faceted amethyst with tin? Please, if you want. And while the jeweler elite goggled at the insolent glances of indignation, the young ladies of all Europe wept with delight.
Classic gemstone cut, smoothlines, slender composition, fine precious metals? All this, of course, is great, it will live for centuries and will someday be worth millions. But thousands of craftsmen do this. And who of them would have been able to sing in the stone and metal the graceful fragility of the wasp sting? Rene Lalique saw the beauty of the heart. For him, the roses, thorns, weeds around the rose bush, and caterpillars swarming in the foliage were always equally beautiful.
What a magician possesses a magician who made the ladies of the world exchange diamonds for glass! This is what maestro Lalique has always been.
Drawn clouds
A common thread through all the work of Rene Laliquepasses the glass and rhinestone. As a child, he transferred to paper everything that at least to some extent hooked his sharp mind or sensual heart. Not childishly realistic work struck contemporaries. According to the master himself, only the clouds did not succumb to him. He looked at them, understood their nature, admired them ... And then glass fell into his hands. Since then, desire has been satisfied. It turned out that clouds can be created from crystal and glass.
The passion for glass is so overwhelmed by ardentthe soul of the maestro, that he declared publicly that he would no longer work with precious stones, the love for which he had never been different. Women of fashion wept and wrung their hands. But the master reassured them, promising to arrange something like a farewell ball - to present a whole collection of jewelry, which will contain everything from enamels to diamonds.
At his farewell exhibition in 1912, visitorscould not hold back tears. But how can a wizard allow someone to sob bitterly? He reassured his fans with the news that his new creation, the collection of perfume bottles, would soon be released. Europe's top perfumers queued up the same day.
Mascots
It is said that the most sincere option of flattery isimitation. Lalika began to copy. Someone tried to blindly repeat his work, someone was inspired by his genius and created something completely new and his own. It would seem that this is the limit, this is the peak of glory. But it was not there. Not such a man was Rene Lalique, whose works at that time already gained world fame. After playing enough with perfumeware, the maestro bought a small glass-blowing production and put the case on stream. Do you think the words “stamping” and “mass production” appeared in his life at that moment? As if not so! Under the Lalik brand, perfume bottles are still being produced, and even now they are made by hand! That is, each of them is unique in its own way.
Lalika is overwhelmed by a new idea - he started doingdecorations for ... cars. They got the name Mascottes. The famous Citroen 5CV model inspired the master to create a figure of five horses. With the help of special lights, they changed color while driving. A total of 30 such figures were created, and today they are literally worth their weight in gold.
Architectural experiments
Life does not stand still.Ardent nature demanded continuation. Architecture is the next thing Lalique Rene paid attention to. Photos of his work amaze with the scope and flight of unrestrained fantasy. Yesterday's jeweler worked on a grand scale, as if all his life he was engaged in interiors.
His most famous work in this industry is the decoration of the high-end train Orient Express and the decoration of the halls on the ship "Normandie".
Worthy heir
The Lalique Empire continues to live.Rene Lalique died in 1945. His son took his place - a worthy son of his great father. No less talented and energetic, Mark Lalique preserved and multiplied his father's legacy. In addition to innate endowments, the love of crystal was transmitted to him. In his hands he came to life and was filled with light. A technical mindset allowed Mark to combine art and the latest achievements of scientific progress. His work "Horse Head" - a symbol of art of the 50s.
Granddaughter of the great grandfather
Marie-Claude Lalique, who succeeded her fatherThe brand remained faithful to the style and sense of beauty inherited from the grandfather. She not only creates jewelry, releases perfumes, but also launched a line of exclusive accessories. For many years, perfume dishes were supplied only for the Nina Ricci home, and the world famous perfume L "air du temps are considered to be a joint creation of these brands. Marie-Claude launched her own perfume line - Lalique de Lalique. Soon another one appeared - Nilang de Lalique .
Another of her creations is Bestiaire, a crystal fairy zoo. The great Rene Lalique could be proud of his granddaughter.
Lalique today
Currently, the empire continues to flourish.The best auctions of the world are chasing the masterpieces that came out from under the master’s cutter a century ago, setting prices on them as on high art objects, which, no doubt, is everything René Lalique touched.
His biography is inspired by writers and screenwriters. And, of course, it gives strength to dreamers and creators who seek their ways in life and in art.
