The term Art Nouveau is French for ‘new art’ yet the style and movement it has come to represent was distinctly international and represented itself in varied fashions and incarnations. As its name implies, Art Nouveau was a movement created by artists who were rejecting the “pastiche” continue >>

In 1925, the city of Paris organized an international exhibition of contemporary art entitled: the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts. This temporary exhibition lasted for six months in Paris, housed at both The Grand Palais and The Invalides. It allowed Parisian decorators continue >>

A process for the making of cameo glass. A vessel of two or more layers of cased glass has a design drawn onto it which is then covered with a layer of protective varnish. The piece is immersed in hydrofluoric acid, which attacks the exposed parts not protected by the varnish and forms the desired continue >>

A loosely defined 19th Century European, predominantly British, movement that emphasized aesthetic values over moral or social themes in literature, fine art, the decorative arts, and interior design. It took place in the late Victorian period from around 1868 to 1901. Major proponents included James continue >>

The application of design and aesthetics to objects of function for everyday use. They include architecture, interior design, photography, graphic design, fashion design, and commercial art. The distinction between applied arts and fine arts, those for aesthetic purposes only i. continue >>

A design movement that influenced architecture, interior design, and the decorative arts which stressed simplicity of form, a medieval style of decoration, and traditional craftsmanship. Started as a reaction against the historic revivals and mass production of the Victorian era, the movement reached continue >>

A diamond cut patented in 1902 by Joseph Asscher of the Royal Asscher Diamond Company. The cut consists of a square cut diamond with chopped corners, a three-step crown, and a seven-step pavilion. The design, which presented a notably small table, allowed for a marked amount of reflected light, creating continue >>

A French term meaning vanguard, in Middle French the term referred to troops that marched ahead of the army. In the modern era it is used to describe artists whose work is innovative, experimental, or ahead of its time, often in contradiction to traditional, established ideas. It involves the pushing continue >>

An art style or art movement of the Counter-Reformation in the seventeenth century primarily practiced in Catholic countries, with limited examples in Dutch art. Applying to the fine arts and architecture, artists sought to emulate emotion and movement in their work. Resulting from the Council of Trent continue >>

In jewelry, the term Baroque is used to describe an irregularly shaped object. Most commonly it is used to describe a pearl that is asymmetrical. Cultured freshwater pearls are most commonly baroque, because freshwater pearls are mantle-tissue nucleated instead of bead nucleated. continue >>

1821-1867)
French symbolist poet, critic, and translator. Controversial during his lifetime, he has become synonymous with literary and artistic decadence. One of the originators of symbolism, he sought correspondences among different sensory inputs. continue >>

A German school of art and design founded in 1919 by architect Walter Gropius and closed by the Nazis in 1933. German for “House of Building” the school believed that elegantly designed items could be mass produced using the techniques and materials of industrial fabrication and manufacture. continue >>

1872-1898)
An English author and illustrator whose drawings are characterized by grotesque eroticism, sinuous lines, a Japanese influence, and areas of deep contrast. Closely aligned with Oscar Wilde and Aestheticism, Beardsley’s illustrations had a significant impact on the style and themes of Art Nouveau. continue >>

French for “Beautiful Era.” “La Belle Époque” was a period in European social history that began during the late 19th century and lasted until World War I. Occurring during the time of the French Third Republic and the German Empire, the “Belle Époque” continue >>

1844-1923)
A French stage and screen actress known as “the most famous actress the world has ever known.” Gaining considerable fame in the 1870’s, Bernhardt became a legend in her own lifetime and was dubbed “The Divine Sarah.” Alphonse Mucha created several famous posters to promote her plays, and was an inspiration to many continue >>

The first brilliant cuts were introduced in the middle of the 17th century, known as Mazarins. Developed circa1900, the round brilliant is the most popular cut given to a diamond today. The modern round brilliant consists of 58 facets, 33 on the crown and 25 on the pavilion. continue >>

From a Middle French word meaning “head” it refers to a gemstone that has been shaped and polished rather than faceted, usually resulting in a convex top and flat bottom. Usually applied to opaque and soft gemstones, the polishing and shaping hides scratches and in some cases can highlight continue >>

A form of decoration produced by carving or etching through fused layers of differently colored glass. First developed in Ancient Rome, the technique experienced a revival during the Art Nouveau movement. Emile Gallé and Daum Nancy produced cameo glass using nature themes in Nancy, France and in continue >>

A type of gold or silver filigree of fine twisted wires forming a coiled spiral. Commonly used in early 19th century, Georgian, jewelry design. continue >>

The process of finishing or refining a malleable metal surface by hammering from the reverse side, also called embossing. Chasing is used to refine the design on the front of an object by sinking the metal. A relatively slow process, no metal is lost and the tool marks are still apparent in the finished continue >>

A French word, also used by English speakers, to describe and aspect of Chinese influence on the arts and crafts of Europe, whether produced by European, Chinese, or artist of other origins. Particularly popular during the “Rococo” period, examples reflected fanciful and poetic notions of continue >>

Ordinary chrysoberyl is yellowish-green and transparent to translucent. When the mineral exhibits good pale green to yellow color and is transparent, it is used as a gemstone. There are three main varieties of chrysoberyl: ordinary yellow-to-green chrysoberyl, cat's eye or cymophane, and alexandrite. continue >>

A variety of quartz ranging in color from yellow to brown. Rarely found naturally, true citrine shows dichroism, in which visible light is split into distinct beams of different wavelengths. Heat treated quartz, commonly amethyst or smokey quartz, has been artificially altered to imitate citrine and does continue >>

Variously defined; generally of or pertaining to a past time in which things were seen as ordered and belonging to a period of high culture or a golden age. Typically Ancient Greece and Rome are viewed as the beginning of the “Classical” era and style. In the arts “Classicism” continue >>

1862-1819)
A French composer of “Impressionist” music, and a central figure in European music at the turn of the twentieth century. Debussy was deeply inspired by and an active participant in the symbolist movement. His composition Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune, based on a poem by Stéphane Mallarmé, expressed continue >>

Enamels fused inside a wire enclosure on a metal or porcelain ground forming chambers that are filled with colored enamels which are then fused. First used by the Byzantines to decorate small objects and jewelry mainly in religious themes, the technique spread to China were it was widely used to decorate continue >>

A type of decoration made, in the manner of cloisonné enamelware, by outlining the design on a metal base with thin wire or strips of metal (cloisons) and filling in the spaces with cemented slices of colored gemstones or glass cut to fit the spaces and usually backed with silver or gold foil. continue >>

A pearl created by a pearl farmer under controlled conditions. A pearl is formed when the mantle tissue is injured by a parasite, an attack of a fish or another event that damages the external fragile rim of the shell of a mollusk shell bivalve or gastropod. In response, the mantle tissue of the mollusk continue >>

A collective term to describe embellished or adorned objects, such as ceramics, enamels, furniture, glass, metalwork, and textiles, especially when used as interior decoration. Traditionally the Decorative Arts were separated from the “Fine Arts” (painting, sculpture, printmaking) based on continue >>

(1878 – 1927) An American dancer trained by Loie Fuller who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe. She is said to have originated Modern Dance. From an early age she taught dance to gain income, in 1899 she moved to Paris. continue >>

Referring to a number of influential French School’s of Fine Art. The most famous is the École Nationale Supérieure des Beaux-Arts which has trained artists for over 350 years. Beaux Arts style was modeled on the Classical Canon, practicing the idealized forms of the Ancient Greek continue >>

The National School of Decorative Arts in Paris has its roots in the Royal Free School of Art (École royale gratuite de dessin) founded in 1766 by Jean-Jacques Bachelier. Its founder's aim was to develop crafts relating to the arts in order to improve the quality of manufactured goods. In 1877 continue >>

In the United Kingdoms, a period marked by reign of King Edward VII from 1901 to 1910. The new monarch brought an end to the strict divisions of the Victorian era and ushered in a more cosmopolitan outlook in society and the fashions of the time. Edwardian jewelry is characterized by light and airy pieces, continue >>

French meaning “to tremble” used to describe jewelry with a trembling effect produced when the wearer moved. Mostly used on brooches, en tremblant pieces incorporated tiny springs to allow constant movement of components. continue >>

Produced by the Etruscan civilization that occupied northwestern Italy from 950 to 300 BCE before the rise of Rome. Made by highly skilled artisans Etruscan jewelry is primarily gold occasionally inlaid with colored beads, gemstones, or enameling. The Early Etruscan period from the 7 to 5th century BCE continue >>

A World’s Fair held in Paris to celebrate the achievements of the past century and accelerate those of the present. The Art Nouveau style was universally present throughout the exhibits, seen by over 50 million visitors. Siegfried Bing organized a pavilion to showcase the works of his artists, including continue >>

Derived from the Old English word “Fabrile” meaning hand made, Tiffany adjusted the term to the more elegant sounding “favrile.” Patented by Louis Comfort Tiffany in 1894 after years of experimentation, favrile glass is highly iridescent due to the embedded coloring. The term was continue >>

Also known as the “High Arts” or “Major Arts” traditionally painting, sculpture, drawing, and engraving are classified as Fine Arts. The term usually denotes a piece made expressly for its beauty and lacking any functional purpose aside from being admired. The Paris Salons and continue >>

French term meaning “end of the century” used during the twentieth century to describe the art of the 1890’s, most notably Art Nouveau and Aestheticism. It connotes decadence and occasionally the beginning of a period a degeneration or the approach of an “end.” continue >>

1862-1928)
An American dancer who had great success throughout France and a pioneer of modern dance and theatrical lighting. Her scarf dances were illuminated by multi-colored lighting displays of her own design. According to Stéphane Mallarmé, she was "the physical embodiment of an idea. continue >>

In American history, the Gilded Age refers to substantial growth in population in the United States and extravagant displays of wealth and excess of America's upper class during the post-Civil War and post-Reconstruction eras of the late 19th century until WWI. Corresponding roughly to La Belle Époque continue >>

The coating of a fine layer of gold, usually gold leaf or gold plate on a surface. Techniques include hand application, chemical gilding, and electroplating. continue >>

A German term used to describe a “total work of art” that use of a variety of art forms. The term can be used to describe certain buildings such as Victor Horta’s Hotel Solvay or Hector Guimard’s Castel Beranger in which both artists designed everything about the building, from continue >>

Primarily an architectural movement which began in the 1740s in England. Its popularity grew rapidly in the early nineteenth century, when designers sought to revive medieval forms in contrast to the classical styles prevalent at the time. The revived Gothic style was not limited to architecture, jewelry continue >>

The use of styles, ornamentation, and motifs from the past (e.g, rococo, baroque, classical), often in eclectic combination, especially in architecture. continue >>

Iridescence is an optical phenomenon of surfaces in which hue changes in correspondence with the angle from which a surface is viewed.This phenomenon occurs naturally in glass which has been buried for a long time, such as Middle Eastern and Roman glass. A handful of European glass makers experimented continue >>

A channel setting using calibrated stones without any metal showing from the top. The “Mystery Setting”, patented between 1934 and 1936 by Van Cleef & Arpels consists of hundreds of small gems covering a piece of jewelry, which seem to float on top of the structure with no visible mounting. continue >>

A French term also spelled Japonism, used to describe the influence of Japanese Arts on those of the West. First used by Jules Claretie in the book L’Art Francais in 1872. Western artists were especially influenced by Japanese wood block prints and the lack of perspective and shadow, areas of strong continue >>

Sometime synonymous with the term Art Nouveau, Jugendstil, meaning “Youth Style” in German, got its name from the magazine Jugend that first promoted the style. In the early 20th century the term only applied to two-dimensional examples in the graphic arts, later expanding to incorporate a continue >>

1862- 1918)
An Austrian Symbolist painter and one of the most prominent members of the Vienna Secession. Klimt's primary subject was the female body and his works are marked by a frank eroticism. He transformed traditional allegory and symbolism into a new language which was more overtly sexual, and hence more disturbing. continue >>

A French term meaning “Art in Everything” used to express the idea that artistic design should permeate all aspects of life, from grand buildings to commercial biscuit tins. continue >>

A chain from which an ornament or gemstone hangs in the center. Popular in the Edwardian era. continue >>

1842 -1898)
A French symbolist poet who inspired many musical and visual artists of his time. Mallarmé's poetry most notably inspired Claude Debussy's Prélude à l'après-midi d'un faune. He was famed for his salons, occasional gatherings of intellectuals at his house on the rue de Rome for discussions of poetry, art, philosophy. continue >>

The craft of covering a structural carcass with pieces of veneer forming decorative patterns, designs or pictures. At the height of its use in late 17th century France, fine furniture was embellished with marquetry produced with such rare and extremely expensive materials including ebony, tortoiseshell, continue >>

The term Martelé is derived from the French word “to hammer” and underscores the significance placed on superior craftsmanship and innovative design. A decorative technique predominately used on silver, it was applied to glass by Daum and Gallé producing a multi-faceted surface continue >>

A jewel or jewelry that is made in memory of a loved one, often containing hair from that person and frequently decorated with enamel. Popular during the Georgian, and especially Grand Victorian era, after Queen Victoria went in to mourning for her deceased husband, memorial jewelry took on many forms. continue >>

A woman’s small hard vanity case or handbag, usually metal or wood, sometimes highly decorated, which is held in the hand. Popularized by Van Cleff & Arpels in 1930 when the firm created a sleek version of the vanity cases of the day, meant to hold a woman’s lipstick, handkerchief, and continue >>

Modernism is an encompassing label for a wide variety of cultural movements. As an art movement it is characterized by the deliberate departure from tradition and the use of innovative forms of expression that distinguish many styles in the arts and literature of the late nineteenth and early twentieth continue >>

1834-1896)
An English textile designer, artist, writer, socialist and Marxist associated with the English Arts and Crafts Movement. His chief contribution to the arts was as a designer of repeating patterns for wallpapers and textiles, many based on a close observation of nature. Morris was one of the founding members, and eventually sole owner of the decorative continue >>

A long necklace that usually terminates in irregular length with tassels or drops. Popular during the Edwardian era. continue >>

A cut of diamond developed sometime after the old mine cut. The old European cut had a shallower pavilion, more rounded shape, and different arrangement of facets. It was the forerunner of modern brilliants and was the most advanced cut in use during the 19th century. continue >>

A cryptocrystalline form of quartz. The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color, except blue and purple. Commonly, specimens of onyx available contain bands of colors of white, tan, and brown. Pure black onyx is common as well. continue >>

Opalescent glass is a generalized term for clear and semi-opaque pressed glass, cloudy, marbled, and sometimes accented with subtle coloring all combining to form a milky opalescence in the glass. John LaFarge and Louis Comfort Tiffany first experimented with opalescent effects, driven by their desire continue >>

Also known as Salon d'Apollon, it was an annual art exhibition of painting and sculpture by the French Royal Academy of Painting and Sculpture, later known as the Académie des Beaux-Arts. Although from the seventeenth century informal exhibitions were held in the Salon d'Apollon, in the Louvre, continue >>

A suite of matching jewelry usually four or more pieces, a necklace, bracelets, earrings and belt or brooch. Common in the Georgian and Victorian era. Beyond various items of matching jewelry, a parure is an entire wardrobe, or suite, of matching jewelry. continue >>

An object made from a paste of ground or crushed glass which is caste into a mold and fired until solid. The advantage of pâte-de-verre is that it allows for precise placement of particular glass colors in the mold. The technique dates back to the ancient Egyptians, but it was revived in the late continue >>

A form of pâte-de-verre which has a translucent, crystalline aspect. continue >>

A film on the surface of bronze or similar metals, produced by oxidation over a long period; or a sheen on wooden furniture produced by age, wear, and polishing; or any such acquired change of a surface through age and exposure. On metal, patina is a coating of various chemical compounds such as oxides continue >>

A square in the 1st arrondissement of Paris, France, located to the north of the Tuileries Gardens and east of the Église de la Madeleine. The Place Vendôme has been famous for its fashionable and deluxe hotels, many famous dress designers and jewelers and has been the center of Parisian continue >>

French for "braid letting in daylight" where the enamel is applied in cells, similar to cloisonné, but with no backing, so light can shine through the transparent or translucent enamel. It has a stained-glass like appearance. The t4echnique was used extensively in Art Nouveau jewelry. continue >>

A gold simulant, invented circa 1720 by Christopher Pinchbeck, which is comprised of a mixture of copper and zinc. Used in Georgian and later jewelry, Pinchbeck was commonly substituted for gold along with simulated diamonds to create elaborate jewelry pieces. continue >>

Glass which has been blown into a metal armature which has apertures through which the glass may bulge out. Tiffany used the technique, and Daum executed a number of vases and bowls blown into wrought armatures by Majorelle, a design that was copied by several other firms, including Muller, with the metal continue >>

Style of 18th century French art and interior design. Rococo rooms were designed as total works of art with elegant and ornate furniture, small sculptures, ornamental mirrors, and tapestry complementing architecture, reliefs, and wall paintings. It was largely supplanted by the Neoclassic style. continue >>

An antique type of diamond cut which gained popularity in the Georgian era. The basic rose cut has a flat base (no pavilion) and a crown composed of triangular facets (usually 12 or 24) in symmetrical arrangement, which rise to form a point. Various forms of the rose cut have been in use since the mid continue >>

1819- 1900)
An English art critic and social thinker, also remembered as a poet and artist. His essays on art and architecture were extremely influential in the Victorian and Edwardian eras and the Arts and Crafts movement. Ruskin believed that art communicated an understanding of nature, and that authentic artists should reject inherited conventions, and continue >>

An extremely long neck chain, which falls below the waistline and terminates with a tassel or pendant. Popular in the early 20th century, notably the Edwardian and Art Deco eras. continue >>

A late nineteenth-century art movement of French and Belgian origin in poetry and other arts. In literature, the movement had its roots in Les Fleurs du mal by Charles Baudelaire. The aesthetic was developed by Stephane Mallarmé and Paul Verlaine during the 1860s and '70s. continue >>

A type of glass tile manufactured by Tiffany Studios made in translucent iridescent glass in various colors and sizes. The tiles were often used in decorative and bases in leaded-light lamps. continue >>

1903-1989)
A noted columnist and editor in the field of fashion. She worked for the fashion magazines Harper's Bazaar and Vogue and the Costume Institute of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Vreeland was noted for taking fashion seriously. continue >>

Glass transition or vitrification refers to the transformation of a glass-forming liquid into a glass, which usually occurs upon rapid cooling. It is a dynamic phenomenon occurring between two distinct states of matter, liquid and glass, each with different physical properties. Glass is commonly made continue >>

Curved, flowing lines. A description published in Pan magazine of Hermann Obrist's wall-hanging Cyclamen described it as “sudden violent curves generated by the crack of a whip,” which became well-known during the early spread of Art Nouveau. Subsequently, not only did the work itself become continue >>

Curved, flowing lines. A description published in Pan magazine of Hermann Obrist's wall-hanging Cyclamen described it as “sudden violent curves generated by the crack of a whip,” which became well-known during the early spread of Art Nouveau. Subsequently, not only did the work itself become continue >>

(1854 – 1900) Irish poet, playwright, and wit allied with the aesthetic movement. Known for his biting wit, flamboyant dress, and glittering conversation Wilde had become one of the most well-known personalities of his day. For Wilde, the purpose of art was to guide life, to do this it must concern continue >>

1710’s-1830’s
Various styles were propagated throughout the period. Named “Georgian” after the four English kings, George I- George IV, who reigned during the peak of the British Empire and global influence on the aesthetics and customs of its colonies. Three main styles dominated the period, architectural trends set the course for continue >>

1830’s- 1900’s
The Victorian era, so named after Queen Victoria the longest reigning British monarch who ruled from 1837 to 1901, marked an era of prosperity and the rise of industrialization and the middle class. The Victorian era in England has three distinct periods, Romantic, Grand, and Late Victorian, while jewelry of the time throughout continue >>

1890 - 1914
Coinciding with “La Belle Époque” in France and the Late Victorian Period in England, Art Nouveau was a style intended to stand against the industrialization of jewelry and decorative arts. The style marked the turn of the century and the coming of the “modern age.” Although the period was short lived, the jewelry continue >>

1901-1910
After the death of Queen Victoria, Edward VII and his Queen, Alexandria, ascended the throne of England and brought a cosmopolitan update to society, fashion and jewelry. The period was a time of great social change and witnessed the rise of an extremely wealthy upper class, and coincided with “The Gilded Age” in America. The period continue >>

1920-1939
“Art Deco” as a term was coined in 1960 by art historian Bevis Hillier to describe the movement known as Style Moderne. The distinctive style of the 1920’s and 30’s borrowed heavily from other Modernism movements of the time and was established as a distinct style by members of the French artist collective known as La Société continue >>

1935-1950
The Retro jewelry period, or Cocktail jewelry as it is sometimes called, took place during World War II. As a reaction to the dire world conflict, jewelry became bolder, brighter, and more light hearted. Unlike the Art Deco style, Retro jewelry has soft curves and feminine motifs, set off against the severe silhouettes of women’s war-time continue >>

1940’s-1960’s
Modernism was the main influence of the Mid-Century period. After the war Retro jewelry and Victorian designs continued to influence jewelry trends, during the 1950’s jewelry designs began to shift radically. The 1950’s and 1960’s was a very creative time for jewelry design, artists such as Picasso, Braque, and continue >>