Companion book to the presentation at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, Legion of Honor (November 17, 2007 - February 17, 2008).

Marie-Antoinette and the Petit Trianon at Versailles

Chapman, Martin

Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco

As opulent as the treasures it celebrates, this lavish volume presents Cartier's timeless designs worn by some of the twentieth century's most legendary figures. It's been one hundred years since the House of Cartier opened its doors on Fifth Avenue in Manhattan. Since then the luxury jeweler has been creating exquisite brooches, bracelets, tiaras, timepieces, and other items including scent bottles, so-called mystery clocks, and handbags many of them specially commissioned by their illustrious patrons. Readers will see up close Gloria Swanson's bracelets from Sunset Boulevard, Douglas Fairbanks s elegant watch, the Duchess of Windsor s panther brooch, and Grace Kelly s 10.47-carat diamond engagement ring, as well as items owned by Marion Davies, Vivien Leigh, Barbara Hutton, and Elizabeth Taylor. Author Martin Chapman offers an in-depth exploration of how Cartier conquered America, from its European birth in 1847 to its arrival on the other side of the Atlantic, and from its whimsical Art Deco creations to the red carpet prominence that linked the name Cartier with fame, wealth, and exclusivity. In addition to stunning color images of each object, the book features photographs of stars and heiresses wearing their Cartier jewelry. A beautiful volume for fashion aficionados, this trove of jewelry is a tribute to Cartier s ingenuity and unmatched craftsmanship.

Cartier and America

Arts & Photography

Graphic Design

Prestel

This breathtaking survey of French royal patronage features full-color illustrations of more than 100 objects, many so precious that they rarely leave the Louvre. French decorative arts reached their pinnacle in craftsmanship and design between the reign of Louis XIV and the Revolution, beginning with the sumptuous works of art made at the Gobelins manufactory, which was established to furnish the royal palaces, and continuing with luxury pieces made in specialist workshops across Paris through the end of the ancient régime. This book reveals the story of patronage and collecting among the French kings and queens with some of the greatest works from the collection of the Musée du Louvre, Paris, alongside illuminating essays describing the history and background of these beautiful royal objects. Drawing from the Louvre's extraordinary Département des Objets d'Art, Royal Treasures from the Louvre examines the full breadth of decorative arts in 17th- and 18th-century France, offering readers a generous view into the splendor of the French court.

Royal Treasures from the Louvre: Louis XIV to Marie-Antoinette

Bascou, Marc

Bimbenet-Privat, Michèle

Collections, Catalogs & Exhibitions

This glittering celebration of Bulgari explores an era of enormous innovation―a time when its creations began to gain fame as the ultimate accessories for celebrities around the world. Since its founding in Rome in 1884, Bulgari has become synonymous with ingenuity and luxury in jewelry design. This volume focuses on the 1950s through the 1980s―a period of eclectic creativity that helped to establish the signature Bulgari look and its status in the world of celebrity and high society. Along with a history of the jeweler, the book features approximately 150 pieces from this pivotal period. High-quality photographs of the objects share the spotlight with sketches, photographs, and vintage advertisements from the Bulgari archives, as well as images of the celebrities who adorned themselves with these opulent works, such as Elizabeth Taylor and Sophia Loren. An introduction by Martin Chapman examines Bulgari in an American context, focusing on its famous clients and social history. An essay by Amanda Triossi provides a deeper look at Bulgari―its founding, history, designers, and innovations. Section introductions for the 1950s, 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s illuminate the trends in jewelry design for each decade, in addition to a chapter dedicated to the legendary Elizabeth Taylor collection.

The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita and Beyond

Triossi, Amanda

History

This dazzling exploration of the work of renowned horologist Breguet is also a fascinating look at what makes watches and other timepieces tick. Abraham-Louis Breguet invented many of the standard components of today’s most prestigious watches, earning the title “The Father of Modern Horology.” The self-winding watch, the gong spring, the first shock-protection device, and the enameled dial―all were created by Breguet. In addition, he invented the first travel clock, sold to Napoleon Bonaparte in 1798, and the first wristwatch, delivered to Caroline Murat, queen of Naples in 1812. Perhaps Breguet’s most famous timepiece is the “Marie-Antoinette” pocket watch, which took forty years to make and was the most complex watch of its time. This fascinating, elegantly designed volume features more than seventy watches and clocks that were constructed by the Breguet company, and it contains many insights into the inner workings that made these objects so innovative and valuable. Engaging essays explore Breguet’s personal history, the technologies he perfected, and his vast international reputation―which survives to this day. This beautiful overview of Breguet’s achievements will speak to anyone who treasures their watch―whether as an indispensable daily accessory, or as a prized piece of jewelry.

Breguet: Art and Innovation In Watchmaking

BREGUET, Emmanuel

Auguste Rodin has been called the father of modern sculpture and on the centenary of his death this stunning book presents a fresh examination of his legacy. Exploring the full range of the work of French artist Auguste Rodin (1840–1917), this book also reveals the deep significance of Rodin’s oeuvre to the history of the Legion of Honor in San Francisco, which holds one of the finest collections of Rodin sculpture in the United States. The publication contains examples from his early days as a struggling artist to his mature and most successful works, including The Age of Bronze (ca. 1875–1877), Saint John the Baptist Preaching (1878), The Burghers of Calais (1885–1886), and The Kiss (ca. 1884). The majority of the bronzes are lifetime casts by the sculptor, making this collection a rare and significant body of Rodin’s output. A related group of plaster models and fragments augment these major pieces, adding to the scope and breadth of this volume. Showcasing beautiful new photography of more than fifty of Rodin’s most iconic artworks alongside an illuminating essay, this book will delight and surprise readers with its novel insights into one of the greatest sculptors in art history.

The Sculpture of Auguste Rodin at the Legion of Honor

Individual Artists

This stunning book focuses on four centuries of magnificent jewelry that resulted from the cultural exchange between India and Europe. From the dawn of the Mughal Empire through the end of the British Raj, exquisite pieces of jewelry from or inspired by India traveled between Europe and Asia. This book features more than 150 objects, including jewel-encrusted jades, famous gemstones, enameled gold, and other precious works of art that range in date from the 17th century to the 1930s, along with exquisite contemporary examples by JAR and Baghat that draw from earlier motifs. Between the 16th and 19th centuries, Indian jewelry and works of art developed Persian and Muslim influences brought over by the Mughal Empire while European styles and craftsmanship traveled to India via the British Raj. As illustrated in this elegant book, 20th-century influences flowed in the opposite direction when Indian jewelry inspired European designers to make pieces in the Indian style. East Meets West also showcases the significant role that gender played, as Indian men adorned themselves with treasures worn exclusively by women in Europe. With fascinating essays and beautiful photographs, this book illustrates the cultural and artistic conversations that resulted in some of the most gorgeous jewelry ever created. Copublished by the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and DelMonico Books

East Meets West: Jewels of the Maharajas from the Al Thani Collection

Jaffer, Amin

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Books by Chapman, Martin