Twentieth-century Jewellery

Twentieth-century Jewellery presents an extraordinary collection of jewels, jewellers and international maisons which, from the start of the twentieth century to the present day, have mirrored the changing taste of the twentieth century. It is a global journey which takes us from France to Russia, from the United States to Italy, from Britain to Germany and from the Netherlands to Scandinavia. From the Art Nouveau masterpieces of Lalique, Vever and Fouquet to Art Deco elegance and the wonders of Cartier, Boucheron, Tiffany, Mario Buccellati and Fabergé. From the inventions of Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari in the 1950s to the Dutch avant-garde and the artist’s jewel of the 1960s, ending with illustrations of up-to-date and contemporary jewellery design. A brilliant historical-critical essay introduces a magnificent selection of pictures, designed to be an ideal gallery of masterpieces of twentieth-century jewellery, accompanied by technical explanations and an exhaustive glossary.
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

Twentieth-century Jewellery presents an extraordinary collection of jewels, jewellers and international maisons which, from the start of the twentieth century to the present day, have mirrored the changing taste of the twentieth century. It is a global journey which takes us from France to Russia, from the United States to Italy, from Britain to Germany and from the Netherlands to Scandinavia. From the Art Nouveau masterpieces of Lalique, Vever and Fouquet to Art Deco elegance and the wonders of Cartier, Boucheron, Tiffany, Mario Buccellati and Fabergé. From the inventions of Van Cleef & Arpels and Bulgari in the 1950s to the Dutch avant-garde and the artist’s jewel of the 1960s, ending with illustrations of up-to-date and contemporary jewellery design. A brilliant historical-critical essay introduces a magnificent selection of pictures, designed to be an ideal gallery of masterpieces of twentieth-century jewellery, accompanied by technical explanations and an exhaustive glossary.
 
Alba Cappellieri is professor in Jewellery Design in the Faculty of Design at Politecnico di Milano and head of the post-graduate course in Jewellery Design. She has curated jewellery exhibitions and congresses, including Titanium Jewellery (La Triennale di Milano Design Museum, June–August 2010), Paper Jewellery (La Triennale di Milano Design Museum, September–October 2009), Contemporary Italian Jewellery. Techniques and Materials through Art and Design (Vicenza, Palazzo Valmarana; Milan, Castello Sforzesco, 2008; Berlin, Kunstgewerbemuseum, 2008; Turin, Museo di Art Decorative, 2009), Jewelry and Design (La Triennale di Milano Design Museum, 2002–03), The New Italian Design (La Triennale di Milano Design Museum, 2007) and the congress on industrial jewellery-manufacturing districts Design and/or Jewellery? (2005–06). She writes on jewellery design for major design magazines and has undertaken research and teaching projects for major international jewellery companies. Her recent publications include: Titani preziosi (Milan: Electa, 2010); Gioielli di carta (Milan: Electa, 2009); Gioiello italiano contemporaneo (Milan: Skira, 2008); Ron Arad, Architettura, Arte e Design (Milan: Mondadori Arte, 2008); Antonio Citterio architettura e design (Milan: Skira, 2007); Moda e design: il progetto dell’eccellenza (Milan: Franco Angeli, 2007); Lusso versus Design, with F. Celaschi, A. Vasile (Milan: Franco Angeli, 2005); Il design della gioia, with M. Romanelli (Milan: Charta, 2004).