Georges Braque: nice guys make great jewelry

diving into artists jewelry

1963 rings by Georges Braque (the one of the left sold) both from the same 1stDibs seller with a great Braque collection (linked below because I can't figure out Substack gallery links). But don't fall in love yet -- you're looking at a $17k commitment.

A few weeks ago, I wrote a post about swallow jewelry, which was partly inspired by this Loewe ring below (although, at closer inspection, I realized that the bird in question is actually a dove… stay with me). I also realized that it was a micro mosaic. (Thank you Loewe, for inspiring three newsletters.)

In my quest to research this ring, I got a message from one of my favorite European jewelers, Inez Stodel, who said that it reminded her of a Georges Braque piece. And the chunkiness of the Loewe rings does indeed feel like the reminiscent of a Braque ring (see more from 1st Dibs)

I’ll just be upfront that Georges Braque (1882 -1963) was not on my jewelry radar before. I’m not much of an art jewelry connoisseur, but I quickly fell in the rabbit hole. Basically, Braque was a French artist and a contemporary of Pablo Picasso. However his mellow, quiet nature meant that he was (somewhat) eclipsed by Picasso’s exuberance.

They created some crazily identical pieces. They were constantly at each other’s studios and out of this collaboration arose Cubism. The pair were often teasingly critical of each other. “It’s well hung,” Picasso said at an exhibition of Braque’s painting. And “It’s well cooked,” said Braque at a Picasso ceramic exhibition. (Quoted from this article about their relationship)

Picasso frequently joked that Braque was his wife/ex-wife. (So I guess maybe we are looking at the first work wife situation?) There’s a story that on one occasion when Braque was in the hospital, Picasso rushed to visit him, but was refused admittance because Madame Braque was with him. “The nurse wouldn’t let me in the room,” he said, “Don’t they realize that I am Madame Braque.”

Braque shunned celebrity and lived a quiet life. Picasso would joke that Braque owed everything to him. He said that he had given Braque three things: the papier collé (the collage art form), a dog and Marcelle Lapré, the best woman in Paris. And Picasso did introduce Marcelle to Braque and the couple remained married for the rest of Braque’s life (in contrast to Picasso’s numerous wives).

And it was Marcelle who inspired Braque’s foray into jewelry. He wanted to create a ring for her 80th birthday, which featured the head of Hécate.

Georges Braque with wife Marcelle

In 1961, 79-year-old Braque partnered with jeweler Héger de Löwenfeld, and the one ring turned into hundreds of jewelry pieces. Braque called Löwenfeld, “the extension of my hands.” And Braque spent the last two years of his life focusing solely on jewelry.

Hecate ring, 1961-1963 by George Braque

Didier ltd in London specializes in artist jewelry and frequently has Braque pieces on offer and it’s a fun look. I usually try to end these posts with a budget friendly way you can participate. But I’m not seeing it. HOWEVER, I’m determined to end on a positive note because we need that these days.

A 19-year-old Christy Turlington in an ad campaign for YSL celebrating Braque.

YSL’s runway tribute to Georges Braque, 1988.

In 1988, Yves Saint Laurent’s Spring-Summer collection paid tribute to Braque and there was jewelry that was designed as part of that collection. It’s still not inexpensive, but it’s a fraction of the original Braque pieces.

YSL Braque earrings, €790.00

An example of the missing 'Pelias et Nélée' pendant that was stolen but then remade and in the Museum’s collection via Tadema Gallery

However, I have something bigger. In the early 1960s, a bird pendant went missing on its way from the Braque studio to the Museum of Modern Art in New York. The pendant was remade, but perhaps the original is out there waiting to be found. And if you think finding Braque jewelry in your local thrift store is a ridiculous proposition, let’s just go back to Picasso ceramics for a moment.

My friend, Nancy Cavliere (a must follow for a good time) is a thrifting fiend. She is also famous for thrifting four Picasso plates for $8 and then selling them for…. $40k. (Please. If you haven’t watched Nancy’s video, click on that link. CRAZY!)

1963, Georges Braque "Idothee" 18K Gold and Chrysoprase Pendant, 1stDibs

Wishing you all some thrifting magic.

P.S. If you want to read more on Georges Braque, check out the Didier Haspeslagh interview on Lost in Jewels or this Inside the artist studio of Georges Braque