The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1900-04-08
A NEW BENVENUTO CELLINI.
LALTQUE SETTING THE FASHION
IN ORNAMENTS FOR THE WORLD.

England Buy Up His Work Before
1t Is Completed, and Prince Canta-
cuzene's Most Splendid Gifts to His
Bride, Miss Julia Grant. Last Year
Were From the Studio of This Mas
ter Idsmith--LaIique's Influence
Is Now Paramount in the Jewels
Being Made TO-day-He Cares Only
for Precious stones as IA Means to
an End.
New York, April 6-The most priced
and splendid jewels that have found their
way into the caskets of Processes and
millionaires of late are from the studio
of RIM Lalique. artist, inventor and work
er in gems, ivory and the precious met
ais. Women of the smart set who had
the good fortune to see the wonderful
specimens of this mans work given Miss
Julia Grant by the Prince Cantacuzene
at the time of their wedding enjoyed
new emotion as well as a revelation in
the art of personal adOrnment. mis-
Benvenuto Ceilni of to-day is in no sense
of the word a shopkeeper. aud the fash
ionable woman who takes her annual
trip to Paris this year 20 find show cases
filed with trnkets made to initiate his
style will at once observe what an i'm
mense influence his originality of method
has had upon the trade. If she is deter
mined to see the interior of Lalique's
studio and talk with a very interesting
man she must seek out some one who
knows where he bk1es in the quiet side
street. and go armed with an introduce
ton to the grey house, which bears be
side the entrance door small brass plate
inscribed Laliaue-Joaillier.
A French artisan in a long blouse
seeks the master while you look around
the room. In the center are two upright
cases, like those seen in museums. and by
the windows few tables with glass tops.
similar to those ladies affect for their
drawing-room curios. There is no sus-
picion of the Shopkeeper in anything here.
This is an artists studio. and as Lai-
que's work appeals only to the elect, his
guests admire and choose their purchases
after the manner of pictures. Here they
can see his methods and understand why
it is that his work has been chef d'oevreS
of great painters and sculptors.
Soon young man, who looks very like
Paul Bourget, comes in with a pleasant
greeting, and listens modestly to your
enthusiastic admiration of the spray of
your footsteps jar the floor and which
look quite as fragile as the real flower.
Lalique began life as painter, but his
genius was for another branch of art, one
much more rare than painting; therefore
he soon deserted the brush for his present
implements He first did some designing
for a great American firm, put longing
for freedom to execute his own bold and
original ideas and now with a host of
followers (all Paris, in fact) crowding on
his footsteps. he leads the goldsmiths OF
the world. Never before has a jeweler
| looked upon the metals and gems as moth
ing but colors for his palate, but to Lali-
| que'S eyes gold, silver precious gems and
| different semi-precious stones and enamels
| are but materials which bring to life the
! golden pictures of his fancy. He colors
| the metals chips the stones, mixes the
cheap gems with the expensive and makes
| Herewith priceless works of art. Enam-
| els take new hues under his skilled
| fingers, while ivory and bone lend their
dull colors to heighten the effect of his
| creations. He colors gold and carves the
| opal so marvelously that a comb for
princess, made of dull gray horn, becomes
a stunning frame for a graceful woman's
| figure, which leans against the side hold
| ing a great bunch of dropping pampas In
| her hand. Woman grass and delicate
foliage in the background are all a mini
allure painting done in gold of many col
ors, opal, enamel and ivory
| The Imagination of the poet shows in
| every piece of this mans work drawing
the line thus between the genius and the
many talented designers who can initiate
and follow him successfully. Rough opal
| is the material greatly used by Lalique.
| The golden sunset, the soft shine of the
moon light, the heecy clouds, beside in
Vulnerable flowers and living objects. are
wonderfully pictured by the way in which
| this artist uses this material. Diamonds
pearls, emeralds, rubies and turquoises
are but parts of his design, and the way
in which he employs amethyst as other
| jewelers. use enamel is productive of amaz-
ing results.
A great dragon fly in one of the cases
has a body of dull purple shades all
! made in amethyst. Its wings are lined
with veins of many colored gold reflect
| ing the sunlight, while the delicate wings
themselves are of transparent enamel sill
Vers OF opal onyx, emerald or any other
stone Lalique fancied to give the SHIN
mer. of the real insects colors
The scarabeus, with its mystic meaning
| and dull colors, is an excuse for a gorge
Gus background of diamonds, wherein
| the artist paints a fantastic Eastern
| fancy with the beetle in dull blue, and
women's figures which end not in legs.
but with the horned tail of the scarabeus.
| All this ornament is made of enamel, gold.
| ivory and jewels. In following out his
idea Lalique allows no tradition to inter
| fere with the desire of his genius. He
| stretches out and seiZes whatever within
his reach Will suit the effect. He puts
| together diamond and sard coral and ORR
entail pearl in way which would drive
the old-fashioned conventional jeweler to
the mad house. Art is his object, beauty
| by art, and by relentlessly pursuing his
| dreams and by showing the world in
what designs ornaments for dress can
be fashioned, he has changed the jewelry
shops in Paris into gallery of
| marvellous pictures, copying the like
ness of his work. Every manufacturer
Of both real and imitation jewelry tries
as nearly as possible TO do things after
his style but as Lalique will sell nothing
| to individuals whom he does not know
the tradesman finds ii out of the question
to get possession of any specimen, and
from the few designs which, have been
! Published it is mr ossible to enseavor to
make re9licas. because the substances
us and the coloring can not be success
/ fully cODied