Search results for ""author pascale lepeu""

In the nineteenth and twentieth centuries it was fashionable to collect 'curios', objects so named because they aroused 'curiosity'. Imaginatively decorated and made from different materials, some of which are still underappreciated, these exotic objects from China and Japan fascinated Westerners. They stimulated a fad for Asia, captivated art lovers, and had a profound influence on the graphic arts in Europe. This beguiling period kindled a passion for collecting in Alfred Baur (1865-1951) and for creation in Alfred Cartier (1841-1925) and his three sons, Louis (1875-1942), Pierre (1878-1964), and Jacques (1884-1941). While the pieces fashioned in Asian style by the Maison Cartier are generally known, their historical and cultural context is not, thus the idea arose of bringing these fine creations together with the collections of the Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art, based in Geneva. As one leafs through the pages, Asia Imagined slowly becomes apparent, like a treasure hunt. Diamond-studded pagodas and pavilions, busy scholars beneath the starry sky, nacreous moonlight scenes, shimmering phoenixes, jade dragons, and multi-coloured cherry blossom-like gems depict an imaginary land. The Cartier magic has its effect. Side-by-side with the creations of the Parisian jeweller, the imperial porcelains, lacquerware embellished with precious metals, embroidered silks, jades, coloured enamels, netsuke, sword hilts, and prints belonging to the Baur Foundation give their version of the marvels of China and Japan and install a unique dialogue, offering an exceptional opportunity to view two of the world's most outstanding collections.

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Louis Cartier (1875–1942), the grandson of Cartier founder Louis-Francois, was an impassioned collector and lover of the arts. He was particularly entranced by Islamic arts, especially Persian book arts, geometric shapes and colour combinations, and its motifs and exotic colour palette are apparent in Cartier jewelry to this day. However, it was his younger brother Jacques – an expert in precious stones – who travelled to India and the Persian Gulf in 1911 and 1912 to discover the culture and bring home the true treasures of the Middle East: natural pearls. This was the pivotal moment when the dialogue between these two worlds opened up, eventually blossoming into a beautiful relationship that has lasted for decades. Published to accompany a major exhibition at the Musée des Arts Decoratifs in Paris, this lavish book delves into the Cartier archives to trace the story of Louis Cartier’s love of Islamic art and the ways in which he incorporated Islam’s stylized yet abstract motifs into Cartier’s jewelry. Dazzling photographs of Cartier jewelry are accompanied by in-depth texts from a raft of distinguished scholars of both Islam and the decorative arts.With 250 illustrations

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