Déco Lalique

Classic. Elegant. Timeless. The legacy of legendary French artist René Lalique is captured in this display of beautiful glass creations. Dating mostly from 1910 to 1945, these captivating designs epitomized the evolution from Art Nouveau to Art Deco. Drawn almost exclusively from the ROM's own exquisite glass collection, over 60 fine pieces are on display. Vases, tableware, lighting and more are showcased, including designs by both Lalique himself as well as his contemporaries.

René Lalique was one of the few designers to successfully make the transition from Art Nouveau to the modernity of Art Deco, creating classic examples of glass in the process. Like many artists and designers of his era, Lalique was influenced by nature as well as the Japanese decorative arts. Through his creative interpretation of natural forms and abstract motifs from the Far East, Lalique’s designs evolved from the symbolic naturalism of Art Nouveau to the simplified stylization of Art Deco.

He was also among the first to use industrial processes to create high-style glass for the world market. Lalique’s most outstanding success came at the 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, where his firm had its own pavilion and from where Canada’s T. Eaton Company began to import and advertise Lalique glass, making it accessible to Canadian consumers. The Lalique firm continues to produce fine quality glass today and a number of models designed by René Lalique remain in production.