CULTURE
Bedazzled Extraordinary jewelry and eye-popping videos animate “Cartier and Islamic Art” By Holly Haber
Bib necklace, Cartier Paris, special order, 1947
N
ot many exhibitions can be described as jaw dropping. But there is something about dazzling jewelry — literally thousands of carats worth millions — alongside wall-sized videos of said gems that stops you in your tracks. Those are only two of the mesmerizing aspects of “Cartier and Islamic Art: In Search of Modernity,” an unusual exhibition that chronicles how extravagant
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D A L L A S H OT E L M A G A Z I N E
baubles — once worn by Vanderbilts, the Duchess of Windsor, and other one percenters — were inspired and created. There are more than 130 Cartier pieces on display, including diamond tiaras, “tutti frutti” bib necklaces, inlaid cigarette and vanity cases, brooches, and handbags with jeweled clasps. Most of the personal ornaments date to the first
half of the 20th century, but there are also pieces representing nearly every decade to the present. Reflecting intensive research, the exposition reveals how shapes and patterns in Cartier’s work mimic artwork that originated in the Middle East, India, North Africa, and Asia. It showcases a variety of Islamic artworks, from ceramic plates to textiles, paintings,
daggers, books, and more. It was Louis J. Cartier (1875-1942), the eldest of house founder Louis-François Cartier’s three grandsons, who became fascinated with Islamic art in the early 20th century. He began collecting artwork and books about Arab art and monuments, directing his design team to study the shapes and interlocking patterns and draw them as an artistic exercise. These motifs would form the foundation of not only Cartier
