Note: GEORGES FOUQUET

Widely considered one of the pioneers and finest jewellers of the Art Nouveau movement, Georges Fouquet, unlike his rival Lalique, preferred to express himself through more geometrical forms, making him a precursor of the Art Deco style and one of the very few master artisans who excelled in two of the most important and sought after jewellery of all time.

Georges Fouquet joined his father Alphonse in the late 19th century, becoming crucial in the transition from the Renaissance revival style to the Art Nouveau that propulsed Maison Fouquet on the forefront of jewellery design at the beginning of the 20th century.

'A tireless worker,' said Henri Vever, 'he was enthralled by all things new, and his search for fresh inspiration was relentless'. This constant research, pursued alongside his son Jean who joined the family business in 1919, contributed to the shift from Art Nouveau to Art Deco. They started to incorporate new elements of style into their jewels, completing the journey of this truly polyhedral Maison.

Georges Fouquet's passion for geometric designs finally expressed itself fully during the decade characterized by the Art Deco style and, in 1925, as president of the jewellery department of the Paris exposition, he used his influence to encourage young designers to delve into new artistic genres and to explore colour, geometric compositions and the use of a variety of metals and hardstones.