Among creators of functional glass art, none enjoys greater prestige than Rene Lalique. The eminent Frenchman's vases, lamps, plates, centerpieces and bowls -- not to mention architectural projects -- define Art Deco chic.
"Deco Lalique," comprising domestic items dating mostly from the 1920s and '30s, is a tantalizing exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum through Jan 18. The museum, one of North America's top repositories of Lalique glass, counts among its holdings items from nearly 80 named series. Besides Lalique pieces, the exhibit includes works manufactured by imitators during the interwar years, both in the United States and in Europe.
Lalique (1860-1945) began his career designing glass jewelry for stage performers, including Sarah Bernhardt; later, he created ornamental bottles for the Parisian perfume house Coty. Over succeeding years, Lalique explored the potentials of glass more boldly, using modern industrial techniques to address mass markets. Worldwide recognition came at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, the Paris fair from which Art Deco takes its name.
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