- Type: Special Exhibition
- Collection: Decorative Arts, European Art
- Culture/Region: Europe
- Subject Area: Fine Arts
- Grade Level: K-12
Artist-jeweler Jean Schlumberger transformed 20th-century fashion with his sculptural designs for vibrant and whimsical jewelry and accessories inspired by nature. From crafting costume jewelry for designer Elsa Schiaparelli in 1930s Paris to heading his own private salon at New York’s Tiffany & Co. beginning in the 1950s, Schlumberger was known for inventive interpretations of animal and botanical subjects and iconic pieces that came to define mid-century chic. His witty designs for objects ranging from cigarette cases and pill boxes to brooches, necklaces, and bracelets were popular with some of the most celebrated women of the day and are among the highlights of the Rachel Lambert Mellon Collection of Jean Schlumberger at the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts.
Make your own butterfly bracelet inspired by the collection!
Watch biographer Mac Griswold present on the life of Rachel Lambert Mellon!