Nemours bowl 'No. 404', 1929

Notes

René Lalique, born in 1860 in rural France, emerged as a transformative figure in the decorative arts, bridging the transition from the pre-industrial 19th century to the modern era. Initially gaining acclaim for his innovative Art Nouveau jewelry, Lalique's designs were celebrated for their incorporation of natural motifs and unconventional materials like enamel, ivory, and glass. By the early 20th century, he shifted focus to glassmaking, founding a factory in Alsace in 1921. His mastery culminated in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, where his glassworks epitomized the Art Deco style with their geometric forms and elegance. The Nemours bowl features a stylised, daisy-like motif set in a symmetrical, relief pattern in frosted glass.