Brooch
Designer Jean Despres French
Not on view
This horizontally oriented oval brooch is bilaterally symmetrical. A center metal panel dotted with rows of small silver balls is rimmed on top and bottom by panels of enameled metal or lapis lazuli. At each end of the brooch three nesting "C" shaped strips of gold surround a large silver ball.
Jean Despres’ work was influenced by his experience designing aircraft parts during World War I. In this piece, as in much of his work, Despres combines a machine aesthetic, evident here in the allusion to ball bearings, with luxury materials. His pieces also derive from ancient Egyptian jewelry, with their gold accents and geometric forms. Despres’ work demonstrates how abstract forms and industrial design could be employed to create wearable Art Deco pieces.
