LALIQUE Architectural Cast Glass
New York City is an excellent place to poke around and find excellent examples of Architectural Cast Glass. In, November 2009 I was working on a Architectural Cast Glass Project and since I had jet lag I was walking around at 5:00 am admiring the architecture. While I was walking down 145 West 44th Street, an amazing piece of Architectural Cast Glass caught my eye.
The Woman Eating Grapes
Lalique Women Eating Grapes with Man Playing Flute, Architectural Cast Glass
Lalique Women Eating Grapes, Architectural Cast Glass
Lalique Man Playing Lute, Architectural Cast Glass
LaLique Women Arms up Man Playing Flute
The stunning piece is of a woman eating grapes while a man plays the flute. A dove is flying and the grapes frame the scene. Nature worship is a theme of Lalique. There is an exquisite beauty in the movement of the figurines. The Art Nouveau lightning bolt hair and the bountiful grapes. I imagine Aphrodite and Pan playing the lute. Lalique is the master glassmaster from the 20th Century. Lalique was not only famous for his exquisite Jewelry, but for his Architectural Cast Glass.
Lalique Dragonfly Woman
The Lalique Millennium Hotel piece is frosted glass blocks. The relief on both sides. The glass is in excellent condition, the caulking between the cast glass is showing some age, and should be restored. There was a couch that was back up against the glass on the lounge side. I advised the security guards on duty to keep the piece better protected.
This is a treasure and is museum quality. Considering that collectors pay millions of dollars for Lalique`s work it is great we can walk in and see it easily. Stop by the lobby of the Millennium Hotel and enjoy! Or watch the home movie.
Lalique Women Eating Grapes with Man Playing Flute from Robert Higgins on Vimeo.
One day I hope someone will stop and admire Robert Higgins`s Architectural Cast Glass Reliefs.
