René Lalique, correspondance d’un bijoutier Art nouveau, 1890-1908

What was René Lalique like in his daily life, he who was a sacred monster, a friend of Sarah Bernhardt’s, the jeweller of the tzars ad of the Queen of England? A collection of letters helps give us an idea of the creator’s exciting existence . They are dated between 1890 and 1908 – he was between 30 and 48 years old – and spend a good part of his existence traveling: to London (to see Garrard, the Crown’s jeweller), to America (for the international exhibition at Saint-Louis in 1904), to Geneva, to Saint-Petersburg (we are treated to an amusing story of an adventure at the customs, since the over-orderly Lalique had forgotten his passport). Young Alice – his second wife - regretted his absence. She champed at teh bit in Paris, tried to get distracted in Saint-Amand-les-Eaux, wondered if she would dare ride a bicycle. One can feel the drama before it arrives: worn out by depression, she committed suicide in 1909. We also discover all his artistic friendships, long term ones or for specific projects: Oriental artist Jean-Léon Gérôme, young Gallé or writer Jules Claretie who ordered an ink well «with lots of ink»…

• René Lalique, correspondance d’un bijoutier Art nouveau, 1890-1908, présentée par Philippe Thiébaut, la Bibliothèque des arts, 2007, 208p., ISBN : 978-2-88453-125-2, 19 €