This fall, Maison Chaumet, in collaboration with M7 and Qatar Museums and Qatar Creates, will present Chaumet & Nature: Nature-Inspired Jewellery Since 1780, a survey charting the history of Maison Chaumet and its longstanding and unwavering dedication to capturing the particularities of the natural world. The exhibition marks the first high jewellery exhibition of its kind held in Qatar and will feature nearly 107 pieces of jewellery and 111 visual works from both the Maison’s and Qatar Museums’ collections, including 8 works that have never been shown before. The exhibition will be on view from 1 November through 19 December 2024 at M7, Qatar’s epicentre for innovation and entrepreneurship in design, fashion, and technology.
Founded in 1780, Maison Chaumet is one of the oldest jewellery houses in France and is closely linked to the development of the nation. Chaumet’s first major client was Napoleon Bonaparte, for whom the Maison’s founder, Marie-Étienne Nitot, set the épée used during his coronation as Emperor. The house has maintained a botanical vision for its fine crafts for more than 240 years. Its pieces have drawn inspiration from quotidian wonders of nature ranging from flowers and leaves to more unusual subject matter such as wheat, grapes, laurels, pansies, palm trees, giraffes, and wings. A special portion of the show will be dedicated to Maison’s Chaumet’s use of pearls, which have played a key role in Qatar’s national heritage.
Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti, director of M7, said, “The remarkable beauty of Maison Chaumet’s jewellery presents the relationship between craftspeople and nature over the course of nearly a quarter of a millennium. Such beauty resonates across many cultures and generations, proving that timeless beauty speaks to us all. We look forward to presenting these precious works to our M7 audience, where they are sure to inspire designers across media to develop new forms and ideas. We are particularly excited to present a group of Maison Chaumet works that employ pearls, which have been essential to the identity of Qatar since the nation’s earliest days.”
Charles Leung, Chief Executive Officer of Chaumet, commented “The Chaumet & Nature exhibition and collaboration is unique in many ways and pays tribute to the relationship between France and Qatar in the 1970s. This collaborative exhibition highlights exceptional orders from Qatar, inspired by the Qatari cultural heritage and made in the High Jewellery workshop of 12 Place Vendôme, Paris.”
Chaumet & Nature is organised in five sections that demonstrate nature as a key element of Maison’s designs: Preserving Nature, Drawing Nature, Observing Nature, Living in Nature, and Diving in Nature. The exhibition will include pieces from Qatar Museums’ collection including the
Duke of Westminster’s transformable wings tiara (1907), the Greek frieze tiara (1910), the Rising sun aigrette (1910), all by Joseph Chaumet, and the Countess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck’s emerald tiara (1900) by Chaumet.
With a focus on advancing Qatar’s creative economy and cultivating local talent, the exhibition and partnership with Maison Chaumet actively engage local creatives in various capacities. The exhibition features a poem called “Treasures of the Earth” by Salman Bin Khalid, which was created for Chaumet to celebrate the significant role of poetry in Arabic literature. Chaumet also commissioned the Qatari artist Shouq Al Mana to design an exclusive piece for the exhibition, that pays tribute to the Qatari tradition of pearl diving and commerce and that takes inspiration from the motif of underwater nature, one of the Maison’s many sources of inspiration. In March 2024, M7 collaborated with Maison Chaumet on selecting Zainab AlShibani, a local graphic designer, to create the new Arabic logo, which is now present in all Chaumet’s flagship stores across the Middle East.
The M7 gift shop, in collaboration with IN-Q, will feature specially crafted designs for this presentation, along with exclusive offers not available elsewhere.
Curated by Maison Chaumet, the exhibition will merge the Maison’s collections with those of the Qatar Museums’, honouring the links the two countries have shared since the 1970s. The exhibition is a legacy project of the Qatar–France 2020 Year of Culture, a year-long programme of collaborations between institutions across both countries.
Chaumet & Nature: Nature-Inspired Jewellery Since 1780 is presented as part of the Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Season of Qatar Creates-a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Qatar’s creative industries and promoting cultural activities within the country.
For exhibition details, ticket bookings, and visiting hours, please visit: https://m7.org.qa/en/calendar/
