Precious Fairies: From Fantasy to Reality

You may love fairies, but what do you really know about them? From the first identified renderings dating back to Antiquity to contemporary high jewelry designs, the fairy is a creature of many facets. 

Derived from the Latin Fata for “goddess of destinies,” the French word fée (fairy) first appeared during the Middle Ages, but the powerful figure of Potnia Theron, Mistress of Nature, had already been depicted in ancient Greece with a winged silhouette embellished with jewels. It wasn’t until medieval times, with the rise of chivalric literature, that benevolent or evil fairies would see the light of day. Alerted by this phenomenon, the Christian church embraced the figure, most notably within the symbolic context of fountains elevated with gemstones, like that of the Ghent Altarpiece (1432).

During the nineteenth century, fairies were associated with the supernatural and became tied to Symbolism before once again joining the realm of fantasy the following century, when they inspired a wealth of pieces of jewelry including pendants and clips, such as the Petite Fée Ailée (Little Winged Fairy) crafted by Van Cleef & Arpels in 1941.

Known for their enchanting ability to suspend time, fairies have also lent their graceful postures to precious pieces of art.

You are only a magical click away from joining us in the land of fairies!

Estelle Icart, heritage conservation project manager at Van Cleef & Arpels, and Inezita Gay-Eckel, jewelry historian at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, will reveal the rich and surprising history of fairies

With Estelle Icart, Patrimony Transmission project manager at Van Cleef & Arpels
& Inezita Gay-Eckel, Jewelry Art Historian at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts

Session for audience in Europe/USA:

Wednesday, January 18th at 7:00 pm (Paris Time),
in French

Session for audience in Asia Pacific:
Thursday, January 19th at 12:00 pm (Paris Time),
in English with simultaneous interpretation available in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Japanese

Session for audience in Europe/USA:

Thursday, January 19th at 7:00 pm (Paris Time),
in English

Photo: Van Cleef & Arpels, Spirit of Beauty or Petite Fée Ailée (Little Winged Fairy), clip, Platinum, emeralds, rubies, diamonds, 10,5 cm × 6 cm, 1941, Van Cleef & Arpels Collection

Developed by the teams at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts to offer a new look at the world of jewelry, these online talks bring together two experts for a 45-50 minute conversation that is followed by a Q&A session during which you may submit your questions by instant messaging.

Should you wish to learn more, L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts will send you a detailed bibliography following the event.

These talks are held in French and English and simultaneously interpreted in Cantonese, Mandarin, and Japanese. You will also find them available for viewing on YouTube at your leisure once the event has come to a close.

Participating in these conversations hosted by L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts allows you to join a community of curious enthusiasts eager to discover and learn.