New

Laura. A Journey Into the Crystal

George Sand

L’ÉCOLE and the Italian publishing house Franco Maria Ricci present Dédale, a new series featuring major literary works as well as little-known or obscure texts, all with ties to the world of jewelry, precious stones and the arts in general.

€ 25

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Overview

L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts and the Italian publishing house Franco Maria Ricci present Dédale. The very singular Dédale series features major literary works as well as little-known or obscure texts, all with ties to the world of jewelry, precious stones and the arts in general. Richly illustrated, each book begins with the manifesto of the series, a foreword by a guest author and a thematic introduction by an expert at L’ÉCOLE. Two new volumes will be added in the series every year, in spring and fall. Each work is available in a standard edition and in a collector’s edition. Two new volumes will be added to the collection every year, in spring and fall.

“O Laura, my dear Laura!” I cried out, “bless you for bringing me here! Where did you learn of the existence of these marvels, and how to reach them?”
“What does that matter to you!” she replied; “gaze upon the beauty of the crystalline world and savour it. The valley of the amethyst is, as you can see, only one of the thousand aspects of this nature, whose riches are inexhaustible. Here, on the other side of the large crystal, you see the charming world of the jaspers with their changing veins. No cataclysm has sullied these magnificent, patient works of nature, or buried them in barbaric mixtures and brutal confusions. Whilst in our little world, troubled and refashioned a hundred times, the gemstone is shattered, dispersed, enshrouded in a thousand unknown, dark places, here it is plain for all to see. It sparkles, reigns everywhere, fresh and pure, and truly royal as it was in the first days of its happy formation.”

Isabelle Bardiès-Fronty

Author of Laura. A Journey Into the Crystal’s foreword, Art Historian and General conservator of the Musée de Cluny

Through the dreamlike transposition of her characters into a cavernous mineralogical universe, Sand established herself as a pioneer of contemporary fantasy.

Charline Coupeau

Author of Laura. A Journey Into the Crystal’s introduction, gemologist and researcher at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

Two hundred and twenty years after the birth of this prolific writer, it is now time to restore this fantastic tale to its rightful place. So, informed readers, be prepared to dream on this journey between science and wonder.

Wenzel Hablik, Utopian Architectural Landscape, oil on canvas, 1921, Schleswig, Museum für Kunst und Kulturgeschichte Schloss Gottorf

Wenzel Hablik, The Path of the Genius, oil on canvas, 1918, Itzehoe, Wenzel Hablik Museum

Wenzel Hablik, Cathedral interior – gondola canal – water arts – glowing, gas glass balloons, oil on canvas, 1921, Regensburg, Kunstforum Ostdeutsche Galerie