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Lot Essay
The Falize family dynasty lasted for three generations; Alexis Falize (1811-1898) opened his workshop in 1838 in Paris and quickly established a reputation for his gold jewelry with cloisonné enamel. After his retirement, his son Lucien (1839-1897) took over the firm and was in turn succeeded by his son André (1872-1936). The latter worked with his brothers Jean and Pierre under the name Falize Frères.
This particular centerpiece is signed by Lucien Falize and reflects his interest in botany and the natural world. Lucien wrote a letter to his son André explaining,
Every season, every hour, every gesture is to be captured and pursued. Even dead wood, in winter, can serve as a model. From the root to the seed, from the stem to the fruit, and the leaf to the flower, the plant is there to be seen, whether it is living or whether it is wilted,...whether the flower is dissected and its elements are examined,...everything is beautiful and provides a decorative motif." (K. Purcell, Falize: A Dynasty of Jewelers, London, 1999, p.251)
During the 1880s, Lucien attempted to create a dinner service modelled after plants, vegetables, and flowers. The service included a soup tureen modelled after a cabbage, a platter formed as celery, and a pair of chased candlesticks in the form of tulips and their bulbs. Unfortunately Lucien Falize died in 1897, and the extent of the service he envisioned is unknown.
Examples of Falize's work can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum, London, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, and the Ajuda Palace, Lisbon.
This particular centerpiece is signed by Lucien Falize and reflects his interest in botany and the natural world. Lucien wrote a letter to his son André explaining,
Every season, every hour, every gesture is to be captured and pursued. Even dead wood, in winter, can serve as a model. From the root to the seed, from the stem to the fruit, and the leaf to the flower, the plant is there to be seen, whether it is living or whether it is wilted,...whether the flower is dissected and its elements are examined,...everything is beautiful and provides a decorative motif." (K. Purcell, Falize: A Dynasty of Jewelers, London, 1999, p.251)
During the 1880s, Lucien attempted to create a dinner service modelled after plants, vegetables, and flowers. The service included a soup tureen modelled after a cabbage, a platter formed as celery, and a pair of chased candlesticks in the form of tulips and their bulbs. Unfortunately Lucien Falize died in 1897, and the extent of the service he envisioned is unknown.
Examples of Falize's work can be seen in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Victoria & Albert Museum and the British Museum, London, the Musée des Arts Décoratifs and the Musée d'Orsay, Paris, and the Ajuda Palace, Lisbon.