The Art of BULGARI, La Dolce Vita & Beyond

Aaaaah, Italy in the 50s and 60s, the Dolce Vita, voluptuous and glamorous women, sumptuous dresses and jewels… obviously by Bulgari. From Sophia Loren to Liz Taylor, Bulgari‘s colourful and very contemporary pieces of jewellery have appealed to a number of Hollywood icons.

As a reminder, and because the history of a brand is often as exciting as the jewellery it created, the Maison Bulgari was born in 1884 in Rome, Via Sistina. In 1905, the founder, Sotirio Bulgari, a Greek emigrant from a family of goldsmiths, assisted by his sons Costantino and Giorgio, opened the Bulgari flagship boutique in Rome, Via Condotti.

At the beginning of the 20th century, the two Bulgari brothers developed a keen interest in precious stones, jewellery and watches. They developed their know-how and gradually replaced their father in the management of the company. The first years after the Second World War marked a historic turning point in the history of Bulgari. Giorgio and Costantino decided to move away from the strict rules of the French goldsmiths’ traditions and created a unique style inspired by Greco-Roman classicism, the Italian Renaissance and the Roman school of goldsmithing of the 19th century.

In the 1950s and 60s, Bulgari’s bold and innovative style becomes a must in the world of jet-set and cinema.

These sublime pictures by Filippo Lambertenghi Deliliers perfectly reflect the glamour of that period and ideally highlight these sumptuous pieces of jewellery set with precious and fine gems. At the time, it was a revolutionary style for jewellery.

What’s new for Bulgari?

After the exhibition at the Paris Grand Palais in 2010, Bulgari crosses the Atlantic, all the way to the San Francisco Bay, to showcase its creations at the Young Museum, a temple of fine art with a futuristic design.

An exhibition that compiles 150 pieces, four decades of jewellery with the everlasting presence of icon Elizabeth Taylor. It also presents the creation of some of the most important pieces of the Maison, such as Serpenti, or the delicately crafted gold of the Parentesi collection, as highlighted in the photos here above.

Focus on this necklace in yellow gold, emeralds, amethysts, turquoises and diamonds, imagined in 1965 by the Italian Maison and presented to the public in San Francisco for the exhibition “The Art of Bulgari : La Dolce Vita & Beyond, 1950-1990″.

I would be very tempted to travel the continent for that exhibition, even though the last one was not so long ago, he he… but let’s be reasonable.

Prestel editions have made our wish come true and have compiled the essence of this retrospective into a beautiful book, allowing us to travel to the heart of the colourful poetry of Bulgari, from home.

We will miss the pleasure of closely admiring the gems and the details of the jewels. However, these 150 pieces beautifully pictured can be admired by flipping through the pages, they are furthermore illuminated by the precious anecdotes of two great names of jewellery, Amanda Triossi and Martin Chapman.

I don’t know about you, but as for me I already want to travel to Italy … I already picture myself in Tuscany, in a sumptuous villa, under the pine trees, wearing this adorable emerald jewellery set… absolutely delightful…