Cartier: Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design

by Evelyne Posseme (Contributor), Judith Henon-Raynaud (Contributor) Exploring jewelry designer Cartier’s fertile exchange with Islamic art and architecture. Throughout modern history, Islamic art has influenced the production of jewelry and decorative objects in the Western world. The prestigious French luxury manufacturer Cartier is no exception to this rule. Spanning the early 20th century to the present day, Cartier: Islamic Inspiration and Modern Design charts the wellspring of inspiration found within Islam’s cultural output. It highlights artworks, drawings, and manuscripts, linking their visual signifiers to those incorporated into Cartier creations. Sometimes easily identifiable, at other times recomposed to the point of rendering their source untraceable, these visual motifs of Islamic culture have been thoroughly integrated into the company’s repertoire. With a dazzling cover reminiscent of precious stones, the book pairs luminous photographs of the mandorlas, palmettes, and