Originally built in 1820, the Baum-Longworth-Sinton-Taft house, now known as The Taft Museum of Art, is a national historic landmark and is considered one of the finest examples of Federal architecture in Palladian style and country. After William Howard Taft accepted his presidential nomination underneath the house’s portico, the Taft family donated their historic home and private collection of 690 works of art to the people of Cincinnati.
The Taft’s current special exhibition, Bijoux Parisiens: French Jewelry from the Petit Palais, allows visitors to experience a taste of pure luxury. Check out the sparkling gems, elegant designs, and dazzling craftsmanship by the great Parisian jewelry houses of Falize, Arpels, Lalique, Cartier, and many others.
The exhibition tells the story of French jewelry ranging from the 17th to the mid-20th century and draws from one of the great art museums of France, the Petit Palais in Paris. It hosts over 75 works of jewelry such as ornate combs inspired by flowers and nature, a diamond-studded dandelion brooch, and a bracelet inspired by Gothic architecture. Additional decorative objects, design drawings, and prints illuminate the jewelry’s place and significance within French history and culture.
Experience the shimmering display of The Taft Museum of Art’s Bijoux Parisiens exhibit today before its dazzling conclusion May 14th! Get your tickets now!
“I hope that our visitors will leave with a new appreciation for the great craftsmanship and creativity that are evidenced as clearly in jewelry as in the paintings and sculptures of the period.” – Lynne Ambrosini, Installing Curator of Bijoux Parisiens and the Taft Museum of Art’s Director of Curatorial Affairs
Photo credit: Georges Fouquet (1862-1957), design by Charles Desrosiers (dates unknown), Sycamore Maple Pendant, about 1905. Gold, enamel, diamonds, two peridots, and baroque pearl. Petit Palais, Musée des Beaux-Arts de la Ville de Paris.© Patrick Pierrain / Petit Palais / Roger-Viollet. Droits d’auteur © ADAGP