The Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art in Geneva just ended an exhibition on Asia inspired by Cartier Collections. Over 160 exceptional creations from the jeweler together with just about a hundred pieces from the Baur Foundation collections were showcased in all discretion.
The theme Asia permeates both collections and creates an inextricable bond between the two. Drawn together by a mutual love and admiration for the culture, symbols, art and essence of the Far East, the pieces exhibited are a sublime representation of the juxtaposition created by Estelle Niklès van Osselt, an expert on China and the exhibition’s curator. Both jeweler Louis Cartier and collector Alfred Baur were captivated by the mysticism and deeply-rooted traditions in artisan and craftsmanship of Asia as well as their historic and cultural context. For the first time two of the most complete and detailed collections will come together to provide an opportunity to admire the originality of two visionaries and offer an in-depth look into a world, where the pursuit of divine symmetry and perfection has been turned into an art form.
The unique exhibition offers a one-of-a-kind chance to explore the role that Cartier played in the discovery of Far-Eastern art. Together with Baur’s over 9,000 genuine Japanese and Chinese art objects, such as pagodas and pavilions studded with diamonds, nacreous moonlight, shimmering phoenixes and jade dragons, the spell-binding exhibit tells its own story of fabulous China and Japan and establish a unique dialogue.
The spirit of Asia pervades many of Cartier’s pieces with the brand’s infatuation with the Far East stimulating the creation of some of the company’s most beautiful jewels. Together with Baur’s fervent collector’s spirit the reception and assimilation of the arts of Asia in Europe at the beginning of the 20th century is now made possible.
