A conversation about L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts’ first experimental archaeology research project and the exhibition “Recreating Gesture: the Replica of the Celtic Torc of Montans” (July 3rd – September 21st, 2025).
The replica and the process of recreation lie at the heart of broader questions: how do skilled artisans — goldsmiths and jewelers — contribute to scientific research by bringing archaeological objects back to life and deepening our understanding of ancient techniques? Likewise, how do laboratory analyses and archaeological practice enrich the knowledge of craftsmanship over the long arc of history? These questions invite us to delve into the very materiality of gold, the techniques used to shape it, and to travel back in time.
They remind us that hand and mind cannot be separated; rather, they work in unison, creating a synergy that allows us to grasp the history of the applied arts from within. This topic will be explored with the public in a moment of shared insight and discovery.
With Emmanuelle Amiot, PhD in Art History, Head of Research at L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts and curator of the exhibition
Antoine Legouy, Chaser Goldsmith and Meilleur Ouvrier de France
& Grégory Weinstock, Van Cleef & Arpels' Director of High Jewelry Métiers
In-Person Conversation (in French):
Wednesday, July 9th, 2025
7.30 p.m. - 8 p.m.: Cocktail
8 p.m. - 9 p.m.: Conversation
at L’ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts
Hôtel de Mercy-Argenteau, 16 bis boulevard Montmartre, 75009 Paris
Photo:
The Replica of the Torque of Montans
© L'ÉCOLE, School of Jewelry Arts, photo: Benjamin Chelly