Sylvia (pendant)
by VEVER, Henri, Gold, agate, rubies, diamonds, enamel, height 12 cm
In 1924, Henri Vever offered his entire collection of 19th-century French jewellery to the Mus�e des Arts D�coratifs. More than 350 pieces from the First Empire to Art Nouveau - of which 60 were made by the Maison Vever itself - represented the cr�me de la cr�me of great jewelers such as Morel, Froment-Meurice, Fontenay, Falize, Boucheron, Beaugrand, Wiese and Lalique. Highly representative of the excellence of French jewellery of his time, his collection is the most relevant part of the Galerie des Bijoux collection.
Vever’s Sylvia pendant, a spectacular 12 cm high piece, is one of the most famous pieces showcased at the 1900 Universal Exhibition in Paris, winning a Grand Prix. The arabesques and hybridization between the insect and the female figure are typical of the Art Nouveau aesthetic.