Bulgari Jewellery Exhibition Opens in USA

In the photo: "Bib" necklace, 1965. Gold with emeralds, amethysts, turquoise, and diamonds. Formerly in the collection of Lyn Revson. Bulgari Heritage Collection. ‘The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950-1990’ exhibition opens in San Francisco this autumn. The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco is mounting the show, which presents approximately 150 pieces of jewellery created by the renowned Italian luxury brand Bulgari over four decades. The exhibition highlights jewellery that defined a pivotal period in Italian design, including numerous pieces from the personal collection of actress Dame Elizabeth Taylor. Bulgari was founded in Rome in 1884 as a jewellery shop. It began to create its own trademark in jewellery in the 1960s with boldly coloured combinations of gemstones, heavy gold, and forms derived from Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance and the 19th-century Roman school of goldsmiths. The company helped to develop a look that came to be known as the ‘Italian School’ of jewellery design. Works in the exhibition also include those from the 1970s and 1980s, a period when Bulgari was influenced by Pop Art and other contemporary trends. Martin Chapman, curator in charge of European Decorative Arts and Sculpture at the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, said: “The hard-edged designs of the 1970s included a whole range based on the Stars-and-Stripes motif, while in the 1980s the Parentesi collection had a smoother, modular, almost architectural presence; both show how the jeweller could lead in new directions with a strong sense of design.” Bulgari’s successful cultivation of prominent patrons and movie stars including Sophia Loren and Ingrid Bergman is a key aspect of the brand’s reputation. To help explore the cultural context in which the objects were made, the show includes sketches, photographs and other archival materials that help reveal a fascinating intersection of celebrity, design and fine craftsmanship. ‘The Art of Bulgari: La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950-1990’ runs from 21 September 2013 until 17 February 2014 at San Francisco’s De Young Museum.