A little while ago, my sister, Jan, mentioned that she would like to take me, my husband, and my sister to the Cartier Exhibition at the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV), it was for my sister Sonnie and my birthdays (we are both November babies from a few to many decades ago), and it would be Gary’s Christmas present – what an absolute treat! Last week it happened, and I cannot stop smiling when I think of the time that we had together.
We spent three nights at Sonnie’s, and on the first night she prepared a delicious feast of Chicken Curry, Dal, Bahji and Rice, and we sat and relaxed, making loose plans for our day at the NGV.
After a delightful walk over the Princes Bridge, along St.Kilda Road, past Hamer Hall to the NGV, all the way stopping to take pics of the sights and each other, we entered the beautiful space that is the National Gallery of Victoria.
Inside we left our coats and bags at the cloakroom before joining the short queue to enter, Jan had pre-purchased our tickets for an allocated time slot, though I’m not really sure they adhere to them, because as we entered the first room, it was packed, you could barely move! A quick decision to move onto the next room, and we were moving, though not without stealing glimpses of this incredible piece of art!
Portrait of Sir Yadavindra Singh, Maharaja of Patiala, c. 1940
Photo: Unkrown / John Fasal Collection
The last Maharaja of Patiala was Sir Yadavindra Singh, whose rule officially ended with Indian independence in 1947.
His father, Maharaja Sir Bhupindra Singh, was heavily involved in British India’s social and political life. He represented India at the Imperial War Conference and Cabinet in 1918, and again at the League of Nations Assembly in 1925. That same year Sir Bhupindra asked Cartier Paris to reset the Patiala jewels in Cartier’s modern style, with platinum mounts. His son is photographed wearing the centrepiece of the collection, the Patiala necklace. It featured nearly three thousand diamonds and other precious gems, including the famed 234.65 carat yellow De Beers diamond. Sir Bhupindra had acquired the diamond after it was exhibited at the 1889 Paris Universal Exhibition. (NGV 2026)
But there’s more! Apparently it vanished in 1948! Who doesn’t like a bit of history and intrigue… To find out a little more, follow this link to A Diamond is Forever . But briefly, the centrepiece De Beers diamond reappeared in 1982 at Sotheby’s Patiala Royal Family auction in Geneva, with the skeleton of the necklace discovered some years later in an antiques shop in London. While many of the major gems had been removed, the choker portion remained untouched.
Now for a few of my personal faves and a few notes about Cartier – I’ll let the pictures do the talking!
We took the time to view a video that took us through the intricacies of creating, crafting and capturing the natural beauty of “The Panther”. Simply inspiring…
Panther brooch Cartier Paris, 1989 sapphires, emeralds, diamonds, onyx, coral, platinum, white gold.
Sometimes I find the artwork more beautiful than the piece, as in Berenice
The last room in the labyrinth that guided us through the exhibition was dedicated to tiaras. I must admit to being a big of a fan of hats and tiaras – again I will let the images do the talking.
As we exited the exhibition that had taken us on a journey through history, showcasing earths treasures crafted into exquisite wearable art, we took the time to enjoy a light lunch in the café and explore the gallery shop. With umbrellas up, we took a colourful walk in the rain back to the station.
As we arrived back at Sonnie’s the rain become torrential, so we settled in, relaxed and reflected on what had been a truly special day. To make things easy for our evening meal, I had pre-baked a leek quiche, we enjoyed it simply warmed up with a little salad on the side.
If you are intrigued, and have a little time… I just loved viewing this series of short videos at L’Odyssée de Cartier. Chapter One – Jeanne Toussaint – La Panthère left me wanting to know more, what an intriguing woman, now I must read “La Panthère” by Stéphanie des Horts.
Portrait of Jeanne Toussaint by Adolph de Meyer, 1920. (Wikimedia Commons / Public Domain)
A huge thank you to Jan for such a beautiful gift and to Sonnie for welcoming us into her home, again, for the visit. We are truly blessed.
Until next time,
Cherish your family, and take time to enjoy life.
Links
- L’Odyssée de Cartier
National Gallery of Victoria
History of the Patiala Diamond Necklace
Leek Quiche
If you have a moment, I would love to hear your thoughts on what you see on
this page – just pop a note in the comments box below.
With many thanks and kindness,
Julie.
