Naturalism, Symbolism, Art Nouveau and Art Deco
René Jules Lalique (1860-1945) was a renowned French jewelry and glass designer from the 19-20th century. It was him who started making perfume bottles in different forms and shapes, commissioned by François Coty.
It is said that Lalique nature-themed style was rooted in his summer trips back to his hometown Ay in France with his parents when he was little. Animals and plants became the source of his inspiration.
He worked as a professional designer for Jules Destape, as well as freelanced for Cartier and Boucheron. By 1885 he opened his own business, and also created for Samuel Bing's Maison de I'Art Nouveau.



Art Deco pieces were often made of bakelite, celluloid, enamel or amber.
Many described Lalique's works as naturalistic, which I may have to disagree. His works seem quite stylised with the flowers and leaves, and sometimes even idealised with elongated female figures. It is also said that his works are full of symbolism. I am indeed quite curious about the serpents on his works.
Here is the description from the Calouste Gulbenkian museum -
Many described Lalique's works as naturalistic, which I may have to disagree. His works seem quite stylised with the flowers and leaves, and sometimes even idealised with elongated female figures. It is also said that his works are full of symbolism. I am indeed quite curious about the serpents on his works.
Here is the description from the Calouste Gulbenkian museum -
The pectoral is made up of nine serpents entwined to form a knot from which the bodies of the other eight fall in a cascade, the ninth rising in the centre, at the top of the jewel. The reptiles, in the attack position, have their mouths open from which strings of pearls were hung as was apparently the case with a similar pectoral (the whereabouts of which are unknown), which was highlighted at the Paris Universal Exhibition in 1900 and reproduced in a publication of the period.
Interestingly, he also made works of cicadas and dragonflies.
Interestingly, he also made works of cicadas and dragonflies.