Limited Edition Glass Bugatti Dancing Elephant Car Mascot by Lalique

Fils du renommé décorateur Carlo Bugatti et frère cadet du constructeur automobile Ettore Bugatti, Rembrandt Bugatti est connu à la fois pour ses bronzes animaliers et sa fin prématurée. Né à Milan en 1884, il réalise sa première œuvre importante en 1901, une sculpture d’un quatuor de vaches qui révèle tôt ses préoccupations animalières. Le talent de Bugatti est rapidement reconnu et, jeune encore, il connaît le succès. Achim Anscheidt, designer en chef chez Bugatti Automobiles, dira qu’il avait une capacité singulière « pour saisir le mouvement des animaux dans ce qu’il a de plus expressif ». En 1904, il est pris sous contrat d’exclusivité par le fondeur Adrien-Aurélien Hébrard. La qualité et la patine du bronze qu’il reçoit ainsi demeurent très recherchées sur le marché de l’art. Fasciné par les animaux exotiques, il parcourt le Jardin zoologique d’Anvers pour trouver de nouveaux modèles. Bien au courant d’un regain d’intérêt pour les sujets animaliers au XIXe siècle dans les tableaux de Géricault et Delacroix, ainsi que des bronzes florentins de la Renaissance par ses compatriotes Giambologna et Verrocchio, Bugatti cherche à redéfinir le rôle de la bête dans l’art plastique. Tout se passe à merveille jusqu’à ce que la Grande Guerre éclate, où, s’engageant dans la Croix-Rouge, il devient tuberculeux. Touché par sa maladie et perturbé par les atrocités de la guerre, il se suicide en 1916 à l’âge tendre de 32 ans, interrompant tragiquement une vie si prometteuse. Les sculptures de Bugatti se trouvent au Musée des Beaux-Arts de Rennes, au Musée d’Orsay, au Musée cantonal des Beaux-Arts de Lausanne, au Hirschhorn Museum, Washington. Elles figurent aussi dans la collection privée d’Alain Delon. Dans la première décennie du XXe siècle, Bugatti participe à la Biennale de Venise. En 1911, il est officier de la Légion d’Honneur. Des expositions de ses œuvres ont lieu en 1904 et 1911 à la Galerie Hébrard, et en 1979 au Royal College of Art. En 2014, l’Alte Nationalgalerie de Berlin lui consacre une rétrospective posthume.

Lalique is a beacon of French opulence in glassmaking and decorative arts, an enduring brand with a history spanning over 130 years and at least three movements in art and design: Art Nouveau, Art Deco and modernism. The firm’s founder, René Lalique, is a celebrated figure in Art Nouveau jewelry, which drew on feminine forms and natural-world themes. Under his masterful leadership, Lalique came to be known for its gorgeous vases, sculptures and glass and crystal serveware.

Rene Laliqué was born in 1860 in Aÿ-en-Champagne, France. As a young man, he apprenticed under Parisian Art Nouveau jeweler Louis Aucoc and studied at L'École nationale supérieure des Arts Décoratifs. Lalique's skill and esteem broadened, and he created jewelry for renowned houses like Cartier and Boucheron. He took over a workshop in Paris in 1885 and opened his own business soon afterward. Not one to follow trends, Lalique gained popularity for his innovative accessories, which merged glass, enamel and ivory — materials that were uncommon in jewelry-making — with semi-precious stones and metals. Lalique’s work gained greater prominence at the 1900 Paris Exhibition, which served as a showcase for his extraordinary designs.

In 1907, Lalique began a revolutionary partnership with French perfumer François Coty. He designed a line of molded glass perfume bottles with frosted surfaces and patterned reliefs. Lalique opened his eponymous glassworks in Combs-La-Ville, Paris, in 1909. His attractive bottles and other pieces were shown at the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in 1925 — the event that brought Art Deco to worldwide attention — catapulting Lalique to new levels of fame. Shortly afterward, in 1927, he created one of his most iconic pieces: the Bacchantes vase. A marvel of glassmaking that convincingly depicted movement, the vase displays his technical skills and artistry.

Lalique began receiving high-profile commissions — in 1929, he decorated the luxurious Côte d’Azur Pullman Express carriages, and in 1935, he designed lighting for the Grand Salon and dining room on the ocean liner SS Normandie.

Lalique died in 1945, and the reins at the company were passed to his son, Marc Lalique. The firm continued to produce its signature glass pieces as well as crystal vases, decor and serveware. Marc's daughter, Marie-Claude Lalique, became CEO in 1977. She renewed the traditional jewelry and fragrance side of the business. In 2008, Lalique was acquired by Art & Fragrance, now known as Lalique Group. It remains a well-regarded lifestyle brand underpinned by a rich history in glassmaking.

On 1stDibs, find vintage Lalique decorative objects, lighting, tables and more.