In 1851, the first international exhibition of culture and industry took place in London. Known as The Great Exhibition and the Crystal Palace Exhibition, this showcase for the world of industry and design began a tradition that lasted longer than a century and undoubtedly influenced global trends

Glass is a wonderful substance. Everything makes it an incomparable plastic medium in the hands of an ingenious artist, offering his imagination and talent almost limitless scope for discovery. ―René Lalique 1 From 1884, when his first jewelry designs were displayed at the Musée du Louvre, until

Thanks largely to René Lalique (1860–1945), glass became one of the liveliest forms of expression in French decorative arts during the first half of the 20th century. In the vanguard of both the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements, Lalique helped to reinvigorate the market for French luxury goods.