Lalique Erotica

Many of the most erotic and sensuous pieces of art glass and jewellery were produced by the master of tasteful erotica Rene Lalique.

These early pieces are hugely collectible and grace the halls of major museums worldwide.

Typical is his beautiful but very erotic dragonfly corsage ornament which features a semi-nude beauty with the lower half and wings of a Dragonly.

In Edwardian times most men liked women to be slightly on the Rubenesque side with ample bosoms yet with tiny waists.

It was pieces like this that appealed to beauties of the day - women like Sarah Bernhardt and even members of European Royalty.

Women flocked to Laliques store to get the very latest in jewellery and beautiful glass.

Rene had a beautiful range of erotic yet sometimes decadent pieces of jewelry for them - where the nude or semi-nude subject often had a dreamlike expression and looked as if they were awakening from an opium induced dream.

At that time in France Absinthe was the popular drink of artists and it induced slightly dreamlike effects on its drinkers. This is most noticeable in the Paintings of the Impressionists ( a genre I feel particularly at home with !)

Laliques Poppy Maiden pendant is a beautiful typical example with opalescent enamel over glass and silver mountings this is a really mysterious piece of beauty. Just to look at her eyes brings out a realisation of her beauty and appeal.

Similar Erotic themes run throughout Laliques work - draped or dancing nudes,mermaids and niads drift lazily across his lamps and vases but there is always a sumptuous availability and a decadent feel to them.

Coty Perfumes commissioned a range of Perfume Bottles and several of these feature mildly erotic subjects. These are highly collectable.

His perfume bottles are an ideal example with moulded nudes on the sides and sometimes even as stoppers.

Rene Lalique produced a range of ladies accessories which came out with erotic themes.

Lalique Car Mascots featured some very beautiful and very well upholstered nudes were very popular and are now highly collectible but the star of Laliques Erotic pieces is the Bacchantes Vase which features a frieze of moulded nude maidens in the very throes and invitations of passion.

You can still obtain the Bacchantes Vase Today but I should point out that fakes are around and almost as expensive as the real thing.

Erotica is after all, a state of mind !