Vegetal

 

I’ve reported on many amazing jewelry exhibits in Paris over the years,  but Vegetal(botanical) is by far the most astonishing exhibit for all it encompasses.

This magnificent exhibit combines fine jewelry and the deep influence of nature’s design. Presented by prestigious Maison Chaumet. It is a must-see if you can get here by 5 September. Reserve your ticket now. Yes there is AC.

Celebrating nature and the creativity of contemporary, classical artists and botanists who influenced the designs by Joseph Chaumet (he designed tiaras for Empress Josephine) and the house of Chaumet in Place Vendôme. 

I was there 3 hours wandering the 2 floors of extensive exhibits and will go back before it closes. 

Chaumet’s jewelry expressed his passion for the botanic and it’s  deep ties between nature’s forms and art. 

The range of examples from a botanist’s preserved dried leaves in a scrapbook to jeweled crowns of heads of state is jaw-dropping. 

Curator of the show, Marc Jeanson, is an agricultural engineer and botanist, who previously curated the 2017 exhibit, Jardins at Grand Palais.

Bringing a flashlight 🔦 is not a bad idea. It’s very dark. 

Description labels can be oddly placed at knee-level or at the eye-level of an 8-year old. Or far from the object. This beauty is a lily tiara of garnets, diamonds and tourmalines was made recently in 2016.

But this is typical of most French exhibitions in my experience. At least the labels are in both French and English if rather difficult to read being beige type on brown labels set on dark wood. 

One must be grateful they are not placed at ankle-level on this occasion🙏 

Still mustn’t grumble. 

The profusion of glorious pieces will take your breath away. 

The gold myrtle wreath in the upper left is from Greece, 325-300 BC — a woman’s funerary wreath typical of the reign of Philipe of Macedon. 

Curator Jansen’s role was to identify all drawings, models for tiaras and jewelry in the Chaumet archives and develop the botanical background for them.

Though I can’t remember who painted this stunning still life. There are 400 pieces in the exhibition.

The wall labels even if a dark can be enlightening. 

And this…

From Monet. 

Try not to miss this exhibit. What else can I say? And yes there is AC.

Of course I ran home and started painting poppies like mad. As always, the Seine shines its jewels every night for all to see. Please share with a friend. Do visit my etsy shop. Bon Samedi dear PBers❤️🍁 👑