THE INSPIRIA COLLECTION OF NECKLACES
Cirque du Soleil inspires one of France’s most distinguished jewellers
An exclusive presentation, with free admission,
at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts
Spring–summer 2010
Montreal, March 8, 2010 – The twenty necklaces of precious stones of the Inspiria collection, each one based on a Cirque du Soleil show and executed by the craftsmen of the French jewellers Boucheron, will feature in an exclusive presentation at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts from April 1 to August 29, 2010. Nathalie Bondil, the Museum’s Director, explains: “As in the case of high fashion, so often seen in the media but rarely accessible, the world of fine jewellery is still a mystery. Here we go backstage into the creative sphere in which craftsmen and women work on projects like this one, continuing a centuries-old skill that is here, for once, made public.” This exhibition, the first devoted to fine French jewellery at the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts, echoes the Museum’s own impressive holdings in modern and contemporary jewellery, much of it forming part of the Liliane and David M. Stewart Collection. Admission to this show is free of charge.
This outstanding group of works is the outcome of a partnership between two visionaries: Guy Laliberté, Founder of Cirque du Soleil, and Jean-Christophe Bédos, CEO of Boucheron. The presentation of these necklaces, set with diamonds, rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other gemstones that create exquisite harmonies of colours and shapes, provides a rare opportunity for the public to discover the creative process of fine jewellery. The display will include the original gouache drawings used for the execution of each piece, with explanations of the sources of the imagery and of the techniques employed.
Founded in Paris in 1858 by Frédéric Boucheron (1830-1902), the eponymous company enjoys an unequalled reputation among connoisseurs of precious stones. The first jewellers to set up shop in the Place Vendôme in Paris, in 1893, Boucheron soon became a byword for French skill and luxury with their bold and sophisticated creations. They initially earned their reputation by designing jewellery for famous courtesans (including the Comtesse de Castiglione) before becoming purveyors to crowned heads, wealthy Americans like Consuelo and Gertrude Vanderbilt), maharajahs, czars and actresses like Loïe Fuller and Sarah Bernhardt. The technical virtuosity of their jewellery, the outstanding quality of their gemstones and their constant pursuit of innovative styles continue to this day. For some years, the firm has established ground-breaking partnerships with renowned creators, most recently with Australian designer Marc Newson and the late English fashion designer Alexander McQueen.
