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Around 1900, a movement in fine arts, handicrafts, and architecture, known as Art Nouveau in France and Jugendstil in Germany, flourished for a few years and reached its pinnacle at the 1900 Paris World Fair. In contrast to historicism, Art Nouveau, which dominated the art scenario at the turn of the century, found its inspiration in nature: human beings, animals, and plants were metamorphosed into ornamental motifs that were often laden with symbolism. An outstanding protagonist of Art Nouveau was the Frenchman René Lalique, who revolutionized jewellery design with his unconventional and creative choice of motifs, materials, and forms.
Wilhelm Lucas von Cranach was alone in Germany in producing works comparable in quality with those issuing in France - something which earned him recognition at the Paris World Exposition of 1900.
The present brooch was designed by Cranach and carried out by Louis Werner.
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