Bulgari Jewellery Exhibition Opens in USA
In the photo: "Bib" necklace, 1965. Gold with emeralds, amethysts, turquoise, and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Lyn Revson. Bulgari Heritage Collection.
鈥楾he Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950-1990鈥 exhibition opens in San Francisco this autumn.
The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is mounting the show, which presents approximately 150 pieces of jewellery created by the renowned 禁漫天堂 luxury brand Bulgari over four decades. The exhibition highlights jewellery that defined a pivotal period in 禁漫天堂 design, including numerous pieces from the personal collection of actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor.
Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884 as a jewellery shop. It began to create its own trademark in jewellery in the 1960s with boldly coloured combinations of gemstones, heavy gold, and forms derived from Greco-Roman classicism, the 禁漫天堂 Renaissance and the 19th-century Roman school of goldsmiths. The company helped to develop a look that came to be known as the 鈥樈焯 School鈥 of jewellery design.
Works in the exhibition also include those from the 1970s and 1980s, a period when Bulgari was influenced by Pop Art and other contemporary trends. Martin Chapman, curator in charge of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, said: 鈥淭he hard-edged designs of the 1970s included a whole range based on the Stars-and-Stripes motif, while in the 1980s the Parentesi collection had a smoother, modular, almost architectural presence; both show how the jeweller could lead in new directions with a strong sense of design.鈥
Bulgari鈥檚 successful cultivation of prominent patrons and movie stars including Sophia Loren and Ingrid Bergman is a key aspect of the brand鈥檚 reputation. To help explore the cultural context in which the objects were made, the show includes sketches, photographs and other archival materials that help reveal a fascinating intersection of celebrity, design and fine craftsmanship.
鈥楾he Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950-1990鈥 runs from 21 September 2013 until 17 February 2014 at San Francisco鈥檚 De Young Museum.