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[Visual Arts]

Art Nouveau Jewelry

By ANDREA MURRAY

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Try to imagine Cartier without gobs of sparkling diamonds. Really. Try it. Still can't? The Museum of Fine Arts' new exhibition puts aside all the bling bling and brings back a more organic jewelry palette. One of the big names featured in the exhibit is Tiffany—and not that one. Louis Comfort Tiffany, son of Tiffany & Co.'s founder, was the creator of the first Tiffany-style stained glass lamp..S Art Nouveau jewelers were rebels in the decorative arts during their time. They rejected the "tyranny of diamonds" and used materials that were praised for intrinsic over artistic value. Enamel, elephant ivory, manipulated horn, molded glass and a sparse amount of diamonds is the angle here. The pieces are dreamy and sometimes romantic. They feature natural imagery in three distinct motifs: flora (flowers and trees), ethereal or dark creatures (like swans or panthers), and the female figure, which represents the changing role of women in society. "Art Nouveau jewelry is regarded by many as the most beautiful and technically sophisticated jewelry ever created. It was flamboyant, fantastical, sensual and poetic," says Curator of Jewelry Yvonne Markowitz. Fuck you, Usher. You and your diamond-encrusted "U" necklace.

[Imperishable Beauty: Art Nouveau Jewelry. Wed 7.23.08-Sun 11.9.08. Museum of Fine Arts, 465 Huntington Ave., Boston. 617.267.9300. $6.50-$17 . mfa.org]

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