Flora: The Art of Jewelry

A dazzling collection of jewelry imitating flowers, from the seventeenth century to today

For many centuries, flowers have provided a source of inspiration for jewelers. The sumptuous selection of floral pieces in this book have all been selected from the magnificent jewelry collection of the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, and range from the seventeenth century to the present day.

In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, flowers were imitated in enamel or used as motifs for elaborate bodice ornaments made of gemstones. Brooches, pendants, and rings took the form of bouquets or flower baskets. The stylized blooms of the Empire style were followed by the highly naturalistic blossoms of the later nineteenth century. Flowers continued to flourish in the sinuous shapes of Art Nouveau, the geometric designs of Art Deco, and the sculptural simplicity of modernism, with great artists including René Lalique and Georges Fouquet constantly reworking nature’s forms for their style-conscious clientele. Now, contemporary designers such as Claude Lalanne, Lorenz Bäumer, and JAR continue to create floral jewelry for today’s trendsetters.

Beautifully photographed by renowned photographer Jean-Marie del Moral, these intricate works of art will delight all lovers of jewelry and nature.