Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity

Earlier this month, I had the pleasure to visit the ‘Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity’ Exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art with my mother, sister and a friend. A version of the “Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity” Exhibition at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from 21 October 2021 to 20 February 2022, this exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art in Texas is from 14 May 2022 to 18 September 2022, and features some of the most spectacular Cartier Jewels!

The exhibition began with a display of Islamic Antiques from the Cartier Collection and an overview of the Ballets Russes’ Scheherazade Performance in Paris in 1910, which began Cartier’s relationship with the Islamic Art and Design that continues to this day. Notable early objects included a Persian Turquoise Tiara and a splendid Diamond Tiara as well as a Rock Crystal Tiara.

The display then featured the Belle Epoque jewels that defined Cartier in that era, with jewels including Mary Scott Townsend’s Cartier Tiara, a Diamond Wave Tiara, a Belle Epoque Choker and a Sapphire and Diamond Stomacher, before transiting to the Islamic-inspired style with a spectacular Diamond Bazuband created for Sir Dhunjibhoy Bomanji in 1922. The next display featured jewels created with geometric patterns, a big feature in Islamic Art, which became popular in the 1910s and 1920s. There was also a series of cigarette cases inspired by the folios of Islamic manuscripts.

The next section was the main display of the exhibit, featuring the most Tiaras and Jewels alongside the original sketches and molds. Highlights included the Marchioness of Cholmondeley’s Cartier Emerald Brooch, the Countess of Granville’s Emerald Necklace, a Steel, Ruby and Diamond Kokoshnik, a Cartier Aquamarine Tiara and a Topaz Tiara alongside other jewels including Cigarette Cases, Jabot Pins, and some of the legendary Cartier Clocks.

The following display featured an Art Deco Diamond Bracelet as well as a splendid Art Deco Diamond Bib Necklace, a Diamond Tassel, and Queen Victoria Eugenie’s Art Deco Diamond Earrings, alongside objects in the ‘Arabesque’ style. The highlight of this section was Doris Duke’s Tiara and the Duchess of Windsor’s Bib Necklace.

My favourite section looked at the Cartier Tutti Frutti Jewels and the spectacular pieces of Jewellery from India and in the Cartier Indian Style, mostly for the Maharajas. There were two splendid Tutti Frutti Necklaces, including one which belonged to Daisy Fellows, alongside bracelets and diamond clip brooches. On the opposite end were the Indian jewels in the traditional style, acquired by Cartier for research or pieces traded by Indian clients for Cartier creations. Beside them were the spectacular carved emerald creations, which included Marjorie Merriweather Post’s Emerald Stomacher and Merle Oberon’s breathtaking Cartier Necklace.

The final portion of the exhibition looked at Islamic-inspired Jewels in more recent years, including a Diamond and Ruby Necklace from Elizabeth Taylor, a modern rendition of a Tutti Frutti necklace, and some contemporary jewels, the highlight of which was a bracelet with inscribed Quranic verse and a very flexible diamond bib necklace.

 

While I was disappointed not to see Cartier India Tiara and the Maharani Gayatri Devi’s Cartier Emerald Suite (which were both in Paris), the Cartier Exhibition was absolutely spectacular. I have been regaling my family by discussing Cartier styles and jewels for years (I even featured Cartier jewels for my final university projects) my mother and sister did not get any depth of admiration for Cartier until they saw the jewels in person and were suitably impressed. What I especially enjoyed was seeing the Islamic objects and designs that inspired the design of the jewels, and how the Cartier brothers were able to take inspiration from the most mundane objects to create pieces of extraordinary beauty. My mother’s comments are:

I loved how the jewels reflected the religion and culture of Islamic civilisation and honoured them by taking influences in the most respectful manner, not only from carved stones or manuscripts but also taking inspiration from monuments and small mundane objects. I have never been interested in history or museums like my son but this exhibition inspired me to broaden my mind and I’d love to go another exhibition, without much coercion.

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Spectacular Royal and Noble Jewels from around the world have been on display at the magnificent ‘Cartier: Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design’ Exhibit at the Louvre Abu Dhabi since last November, and ahead of its completion next week, we decided to feature the spectacular jewels on display!

I had already seen the earlier ‘Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity’ Exhibition at the Dallas Museum of Art in 2022, but when I sat down to write this scheduled article last week, the pictures inspired me to book a ticket to Abu Dhabi and thus you are getting my first-hand account of the magnificent jewels on display from earlier this week.

Featuring over 400 works including jewellery and precious objects, masterpieces of Islamic art, drawings, textiles and photographs, the exhibition showcases the influences of the Islamic arts on Cartier’s designs, from the beginning of the 20th century to the present day.

Co-curated by Évelyne Possémé, Former Chief Curator of Ancient and Modern Jewellery at the musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris, and Judith Henon-Raynaud, Chief Curator and Deputy Director of the Department of Islamic Art at the musée du Louvre, Paris.

Exhibition co-organised by Louvre Abu Dhabi, the musée des Arts décoratifs, the musée du Louvre, France Muséums, with the support of Cartier.

This exhibition is based on a project that was initially conceived and co-organised by the Dallas Museum of Art and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs titled Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity.

The exhibit begins with a look at the splendid Belle Epoque Cartier Jewels, which included Mary Scott Townsend’s Cartier Tiara, a Belle Epoque Diamond Choker and a Sapphire and Diamond Stomacher, that were quintessential examples of Cartier at the turn of the 20th century.

Then we move on to some jewels created by Cartier which were inspired by Islamic Art objects at the Museums in Paris, including the Louvre and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs, that included a Cartier Paris Bandeau from 1911 and a Cartier New York Bandeau from 1924, which belonged to Doris Duke.

In a side room were some striking jewels and objects de arts created by Cartier in the early 1900s inspired by Persia and the Middle East, as well as this striking Coral Bandeau crated by Cartier Paris in 1922.

The next section of the exhibition was focused on jewels from India, which  began after Jacques Cartier’s trip to India in 1911 for the Delhi Durbar, and included Indian Jewellery originally displayed at a 1913 Exhibit at Cartier in Paris, as well as jewels created by Cartier inspired by India or created for Indian Maharajas, the most spectacular of which was the Tiger’s Eye Turban ornament from 1937.

Carved gemstones played a huge role in Cartier Jewellery in the inter-war era, and there were several spectacular examples of carved emeralds, including a massive Sautoir from 1925, as well as stunning examples of the iconic ‘Tutti Fruiti’ Jewels.

Another highlight of the exhibit was the Duchess of Windsor’s Amethyst Bib Necklace, created by Cartier in 1947, which occupied its own section.

The main central gallery of the exhibition contained the most spectacular Jewels and numerous Tiaras alongside the Islamic Art Objects from which they were inspired.

The highlight for me was the magnificent Cartier India Tiara on loan from the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.

The Princely Family of Monaco loaned two objects from their collection; a Necklace from 1957 and a Rock Crystal, Pearl and Diamond Brooch from 1925.

Other highlights included the magnificent Emerald and Diamond Necklace created by Cartier in 1932 for the Marchioness of Bute.

A carved Turquoise Tiara created by Cartier in 1936, and a Diamond Bandeau Tiara from Cartier Paris in 1923

A Rock Crystal Tiara created in 1912 for Baron Pierre de Gunzburg

A Cartier Aquamarine Tiara and a Topaz Tiara created for the Coronation of King George VI in 1937


Several Diamond Bandeaus and Necklaces alongside Brooches, Earrings, Clocks, and Bracelets.

The last galleries of the exhibit displayed Cartier Jewels from the 1950s and beyond, but the highlights included Elizabeth Taylor’s Ruby and Diamond Necklace, a splendid Indian Necklace and Daisy Fellowes’ iconic Tutti Fruiti necklace created by Cartier in 1936.

The exhibit concluded with a look at the spectacular modern jewels created by Cartier and inspired by Islamic Art, with the highlights including a Diamond Necklace from Sheikha Nouf bint Khalifa Al-Thani, a contemporary Tutti Fruiti Necklace, a spectacular Tiara with the ‘Berénice’ Emerald, and a complete Cartier parure from 2009.

‘Cartier Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design’ runs at the Louvre Abu Dhabi until March 24, 2024

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One thought on “Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity

  1. Gosh! Reading your descriptions and looking at the photos was so delightful! I’m not surprised at all that your mother was so impressed by this exhibit. It must have been quite an experience to see these outstanding jewels in person. Such artistry and beauty can’t help but amaze the viewer. Thank you for sharing it with us!

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