Organized by L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, the exhibition Paris, City of Pearls, from November 21st, 2024, until June 1st, 2025, recounts the forgotten history of this amazing artistic, commercial and human adventure of the Pearl.

 

We are all familiar with pearls. Sought-after since ancient times, they still inspire the great modern jewelers. But how many people know that they were at the heart of an intense trade between the Gulf and France from the late 19th to the mid-20th century? How many remember that they were at the center of the luxury industry and Parisian culture for decades?

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From the late 1860s to the late 1930s – a period corresponding to France's Third Republic – a majority of the pear ls fished in the Gulf were gradually brought to France, sold in Paris and mounted by the top jewelers of the Place Vendome. Account books, telegrams, archive documents and period photographs testify to the scale of this trade. Routes across land, sea and then sky were opened, major figures emerged in both the Gulf and France, fortunes were made, and the pearl trade sparked an unprecedented economic boom. As new trade routes were developed, links were forged between people and cultures – from the France of the first third of the 20th century to the Gulf countries, referred to by the French at the time as the "pearl coast."

Image credit: L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

As well as celebrating almost a century of shared history, this exhibition sets out to show the extent to which both natural pearls and the cultured pearls that arrived in France in the 1920s inspired not only Parisian jewelers but also artists in the broader sense. They all seem to have been driven by the same passion for pearls, whatever their means of artistic expression – opera, painting, photography, poster design, illustration or cinema – to the point that the pearl became one of the symbolic forms of the Roaring Twenties.

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Seeking to penetrate the final mysteries of these biominerals, the exhibition embraces a crossover of history, art and science. This wide-ranging vision of knowledge is at the heart of L'ÉCOLE's mission. Founded in 2012 with support from Van Cleef & Arpels, L'ÉCOLE invites the public to learn about the history of jewelry and the skills involved, and about gems, through classes, talks, publications and exhibitions, in Paris and elsewhere in the world.

Through supporting research and enabling the re discovery of this extraordinary Parisian pearl saga, L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts confirms its determination to contribute not only to an awareness of the culture of jewelry, but also to deepening knowledge.

Image credit: L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

 

The exhibition "Paris, City of Pearls" presents about one hundred jewelry pieces and some fifty drawings and iconographic documents from around twenty of the most prestigious lenders, such as Paris Museum of Decorative Arts (Musée des Arts Décoratifs de Paris), the Petit Palais - Fine Arts Museum of Paris, heritage collections of the Maisons Van Cleef & Arpels, Cartier and Fred, or the exceptional Albion Art private collection.

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After a gemological introduction on the origins of pearls, the exhibition traces the history of jewelers' passion for pearls from the late nineteenth century to the present day through 6 parts:  I. The pearl and its secrets

II. Pearls and the East

III. Conquering the market circa 1900

IV. The pearl as a symbol of modernity: the 1910s

V. 1925: Pearl mania in Paris

VI. The Parisian pearl: past & present

Image credit: L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

The exhibition's scenography, designed with a sensory approach, awakens visitors' senses – sight, hearing, but also touch. In addition, a visual guide giving access to an additional iconography of about 80 drawings, illustrations and other visuals extends the visitors' immersion in the world of pearls and his discovery of the imaginary around the pearl from the Belle Époque until today.  Brooch, c. 1platinum, pearl, diamonds. 

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Collection Van Cleef & Arpels. Practical information 

From November 21st, 2024 until June 1st, 2025

Tuesday to Sunday, 11am to 7pm.

Late night on Thursdays until 9pm.

Free admission, by reservation

Free guided tours

• For adults:

On Tuesdays, Fridays, Saturdays, Sundays at 3:15 pm

and 4:15 pm and on Thursdays at 6:15 pm and 7:15 pm

• For children (7-11 years old):

On Wednesdays at 3:15 pm and 4:15 pm and during 

 school holidays (visit our website for more 

 information)

L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau 

16 bis boulevard Montmartre, Paris 9

Image credit: L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts.

 

Scientific curation

Olivier Segura Gemologist and Director of L'ÉCOLE  Asia-Pacific, School of Jewelry Arts

A man of passion, Olivier Segura only came across the world of jewelry after a few years devoted to advertising and communication.  On completing his initial training, scientific studies in biology and geology with a diploma in gemology, he moved to Bangkok where he created his gem trading company. Thanks to this, he discovered the fascinating world of jewelry and craftsmanship. Returning to Paris to take over the management of the LFG (French Gemological Laboratory), a position he held for ten years, he joined L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts' Scientific Council. EIn 2018, Olivier Segura took the plunge and joined the institution as Scientific Director. He has been responsible for new courses, such as "Pearl: History, Science and Legends" and exhibitions, such as "Pearl Merchants, A Rediscovered Saga between the Gulf and France at the Dawn of the 20th century" held in Dubai in 2019, for which he was already co-curator with Léonard Pouy. 

 

 

 

Léonard Pouy

Doctor in Art History and Content and Transmission Manager at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

Léonard Pouy holds a Ph.D. in art history from Paris-Sorbonne University and the University of Geneva. Co-curator with Olivier Ségura of the 2019 exhibition "Pearl Merchants, A Rediscovered Saga between the Gulf and France at the Dawn of the 20th century" held in Dubai in 2019, he now serves as Content and Academic Manager at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts. His latest work examines the history of the Hôtel Mercy-Argenteau (Parigramme / L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, 2023).