Paris : Capitale de la Perle

Exhibition at the École des Arts Joailliers, Paris, 21 November 2024 - 1 June 2025

Sought-after since ancient times and a source of inspiration for the greatest modern jewellers, pearls were at the heart of an intense trade between the Arabian Gulf and France between the end of the 19th century and the middle of the 20th century. Paris rose to the top of the world pearl trade, and for decades pearls were at the heart of the Parisian luxury industry and culture.

This exhibition catalogue looks back at the forgotten history of an incredible artistic, commercial and human adventure, and shows how pearls inspired Paris jewelers and, more broadly, the city's artists. All seem indeed to have been driven by one same "pearl mania", and whatever their medium, be it opera, cinema, painting, photography, posters or illustrated magazines, all contributed to making pearls a visual icon of the Roaring Twenties.