Jewels of the Imagination

The glittering jewelry designs of Jean Schlumberger were the epitome of mid-century elegance. Inspired by nature, his creations graced such notable style icons as Jacqueline Kennedy and Audrey Hepburn. This exhibition highlights the work of this innovative artist, placing his jewelry and objets d’art as inimitable examples of twentieth-century design.

Beginning his career as a designer of costume jewelry for couturier Elsa Schiaparelli in the 1930s, Schlumberger was, by 1956, Vice President of Tiffany & Co. with his own design salon at their Fifth Avenue headquarters. He drew inspiration from such exotic locales as Bali, India, and Thailand, and this is reflected by his lively, experimental designs that play with color, movement, and shape.

This exhibition brings together the extensive Schlumberger collection of Rachel Lambert “Bunny” Mellon, donated to the Virginia Museum of Fine Arts between 1985 and 2015. It is the largest, most comprehensive public collection of Jean Schlumberger’s work in the world.

Credit: Exhibition overview from museum website