OneofthemoststoriedhighjewelryhousesinParis,ChaumethasbeenentwinedwiththehistoryofFrancesinceitsfoundingin1780.AppointedofficialjewelertoEmpressJos矇phine,thehousehaspasseddownitsuniquesavoir-faireforalmost240years.EachgenerationofChaumetjewelershaslookedtothenaturalworldasakeysourceofinspiration,dreaminguprubyorchids,delicatelaurelwreathtiaras,strikingdiamondstarbursts,andabeguilingarrayofanimals--frombirdsandbutterfliestosnakesandoctopuses--onnecklaces,brooches,andheadpieces.Drawingswereusednotonlytoresearchanddevelopideas,revealinglittle-knownaspectsofthecreativeprocessofjewelrydesign,butalsotopresentfullyconceptualizedbespokepiecestoclients,temptingthemtoplaceanorder.Thesebeautifulandinventivedrawings--manyofwhicharepublishedhereforthefirsttime--arepresentedinthematicchapters(“Flowers,““TreesandPlants,““Bestiary,“and“Universe“),whileessaysbycuratorGa禱lleRioofferaconciseart-historicalperspective.Avisuallyfascinatingcompendium,Chaumet:DrawingfromNaturewilldelightallloversofjewelry,art,andnature.
