Precious Art Deco: A Prince’s Collection on Display

Description

Nearly 50 art deco masterpieces are traveling to Asia for the first time. Presented by L’ÉCOLE, the School of Jewelry Arts, and Van Cleef & Arpels, Precious Art Deco Objects includes valuable pieces pulled from the collection of Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan.

Art Deco was an artistic movement that appeared around 1910 and reached its height in the 1920s. It emphasised straight lines, symmetry and order, but also high-quality craftsmanship and decorative art. While Art Deco had its birthplace in France, its style quickly spread to the rest of Europe, Asia and America. The movement took inspiration from both East and West, in terms of both the subject matter and materials.

Prince Sadruddin Aga Khan spent years gathering a collection of over a hundred Art Deco boxes, signed by the great Parisian jewellers of the 1920s and 30s. Among his collection are nécessaires (vanity cases), powder compacts and cigarette cases, all of which show off refined decorations and French craftsmanship. These precious boxes were gathered for his wife, the Princess Catherine Aleya Beriketti, and feature incredible masterpieces that highlight the creativity, skills and technical prowess of Art Deco artisans.