“Masterpieces
of French Jewelry From American Collections,”
opens at The Forbes Galleries on September 22, 2006, running through
December 31, 2006, and then moves to the Legion of Honor, The Fine Arts
Museums of San Francisco, on February 10, 2007, running through
June 7, 2007. This exhibit celebrates the unique attributes of French
jewelry, its creators, and its innovators—and its impact and influence
on American culture. The NJI, a non-profit organization, is the first
jewelry institute in America founded with the mission of preserving
and educating the public about fine jewelry as art objects.
“Masterpieces” spotlights the creativity and design excellence
of French jewelry in the last 125 years. The 150 pieces in the show
were all manufactured in France from the late 19th century through the
present. Organized chronologically, “Masterpieces” traces
the history of French jewelry and chronicles the cross-currents of the
United States and France over the last 100 years—beginning with
Art Nouveau and moving its audience through Edwardian, Art Deco, Post
War, and Contemporary style and design. The exhibition celebrates the
romance between the American and the French cultures and reveals how
that affair continues to shape the tastes of Americans today.
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