The 100 objects on display here offer a worldwide survey of luxury from antiquity to the present, exploring how exquisitely crafted objects and clothing have afforded delight to their owners – and conferred status on them. They range from a Chinese Qing dynasty headdress to a hazelnut-themed Lalique necklace from c. 1900. For the occasion, two historic rooms at the Musée des arts décoratifs that are usually private – the Salon du Bois, an art deco masterpiece designed by Georges Hoentschel for the Universal Exposition in 1900, and Salon des Boiseries, decked out with intricate woodwork panelling from the 17th and 18th centuries – are opened to visitors. Find out more from the MAD’s website.
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‘Hazelnut’ necklace (c. 1900), René Lalique. Photo: © MAD, Paris/Christophe Dellière
Spoon (16th century), Germany. Photo: © MAD, Paris/Jean Tholance
Dish (1st century BC–1st century AD), Boscoreale, Italy. Photo: © RMN -Grand Palais (Louvre museum)/Hervé Lewandowski
Headdress (19th century), China. Photo: © MAD , Paris/Jean Tholance
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Why are fathers so absent from art history?