Cartier (Universe of Design) [Hardcover]

Philippe Tretiack (Author)

Book Description

Series: Universe of Design | Publication Date: May 15, 1997

Exquisite and original-fine jewelry as an art form from one of the world's legendary makers.

Editorial Reviews

From Library Journal

These small (61/4 " x 81/4") books, the first in a new series, offer capsule introductions to the achievements of three of the most important designers of this century. Berge, Saint Laurent's partner since the couturier's sensational 1962 debut, writes a brief seven-page homage to Saint Laurent's artistry, followed by 52 photographs of his most significant designs, which changed women's fashions. Carefully selected, the illustrations also show the artworks and the environment that inspired Saint Laurent. Martin, curator of the Metropolitan Museum of Art Costume Institute, offers an insightful analysis of recently deceased Italian designer Versace's eye-opening fashions, which juxtapose silk with leather, street style with couture, in an unmistakable signature. Forty-nine photographs illustrate representative works of the last 15 years. Tretiack manages to summarize the house of Cartier's 150-year history into a succinct 16-page essay. While Cartier designed fancy clocks and desk accessories as well, it is the fabulous jewels that are featured here and that the reader will recognize. Certainly, these books do not approach some of the serious, in-depth publications of recent years (e.g., Yves Saint Laurent: Images of Design, 1958-1988, 1988. o.p.) or the weighty and expensive coffee-table tomes (e.g., Versace's Men Without Ties, Abbeville, 1996), but for libraries with small budgets, these quality publications can provide economical introductions to designers with whom most readers should be acquainted.?Therese Duzinkiewicz Baker, Western Kentucky Univ. Libs., Bowling Green
Copyright 1997 Reed Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 80 pages
• Publisher: Universe (May 15, 1997)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0789300877
• ISBN-13: 978-0789300874
• Product Dimensions: 8.4 x 5.9 x 0.7 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,721,347 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Informative and brief, August 12, 2000

By 

alida negrucci (Los Angeles, CA USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Cartier (Universe of Design) (Hardcover)

The Cartiers were more than successful jewelers; they created objects d'art for royalty and the growing bourgeoisie. Cartier, (Universe of Design) provides an engaging history of the House of Cartier, but lacks detailed explanation for a reader with an avid interest in following the Cartiers' development in design. Trétiack, the author, successfully gives a general background on the founders, their interests, and events that influenced their design. However, the book fails to integrate photographs and illustrations when discussing the design innovations of the Cartiers, leaving the reader unclear about what these designs looked like and how they were executed. Louis Cartier refrained from adopting the Art Nouveau style and experimented, eventually creating the garland style. A brief explanation of the garland style was given, but not illustrated or supplemented with photos. In Cartier, (Universe of Design), the pictures that follow the text are not sufficient, though they give the reader a brief introduction to the Cartiers' exquisite creations. Louis-François Cartier experimented with animal motifs, but only one pictorial example exists for an elephant, snake and panther ("signature") bracelet. It is disconcerting to initially view these pictures without detailed captions for each photo, but this is probably intended rather than an oversight, allowing a less distracted impression of each piece of jewelry. Thumbnails with captions are indexed at the end of the book for reference if desired.

Cartier, (Universe of Design) is ample for anyone attempting to gain a general knowledge about the House of Cartier, but wanting in detail for a student or individual looking to study jewelry design.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars More like a catalog, April 28, 2002

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Cartier (Universe of Design) (Hardcover)

The photos are fun to look at but this book isn't very "meaty." It's more like a great catalog than a book.