Van Cleef & Arpels Lacquered Butterfly Clip

Pin

Lacquered Butterflies: The Continuous Metamorphosis of Japanese Traditions

Half a century has passed since Van Cleef & Arpels, founded in France in 1906, opened its first boutique in Japan (1973). The Maison has always enjoyed a special connection with traditional Japanese art and culture. Today, this dialogue between the French decorative arts and ancient Japanese artistic craftsmanship continues.

[…]

This encounter between Jewelry and traditional Japanese culture gave rise to a singular collaboration. After having been made – in France – from yellow and white gold, mother-of-pearl and diamonds, these butterflies are carefully hand decorated by Mr. Hakose with Japanese lacquer and maki-e technique. Each unique pattern of these limited-edition pieces is created on the butterfly wings through a sweeping sequence of techniques: from the Japanese lacquer to the decorations (maki-e, raden, rankaku and more), the lacquered butterfly is a long-term undertaking.

For the past 20 years, these lacquered butterflies have demonstrated continuous evolutions sparked by the dialog between these two cultures. As Mr. Hakose explains, “Europeans traditionally add new features, while Japanese have always tried to reduce or omit things. The outcome of this dialog is visible in the design of the lacquered butterflies. While Japan’s culture has its own charm, I would like to understand French culture and facilitate communication.

Pin

Pin

Pin

Pin
[Photo Credit: vancleefarpels.com]

• Accessories
• Jewelry
• The Accessories Wall
• Van Cleef & Arpels