Cartier: Art Without Boundaries

      Founded in 1847, Cartier originated among the public before ascending to the royal court. Renowned as “the jeweller of kings and the king of jewellers”, it ultimately established itself as a premier master of high jewellery, whilst also becoming an exemplar widely recognised by cultural institutions across the globe through its unwavering exploration and development within the realm of art and culture. In the early 80s, Cartier founded the “Cartier Collection”, which represents the enduring heritage of its style alongside social, historical and cultural value, as well as the “Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain”, an entity operating entirely independent of commercial interests, thereby demonstrating an unceasing commitment to the advancement of culture and art in France, Europe and worldwide. In the 80s, spurred by Cartier's artistic contributions, the French government enacted dedicated fiscal legislation to foster the institutionalisation and development of the French cultural sector.

 

 

       “The Cartier Collection”, established in 1983, currently comprises more than 1500 historic treasures reacquired over time, encompassing the most representative jewellery, timepieces and precious objets d'art dating from the second half of the 19th century through to the end of the 20th century. These pieces clearly illustrate the stylistic evolution of European decorative arts across this period, exemplifying the changes in European social life from the mid-19th century onwards. The Cartier Collection not only faithfully chronicles the finest European jewellery craftsmanship, but also applies the era's cutting-edge science and technology to archival conservation. Built and comprehensively preserved from the early 19th century, the historic archives include numerous design sketches, work registers and rare large-format photographic plates, presenting a complete record with clear provenance that provides invaluable research material for curators across the world's leading museums.

 

 

 

 

      “The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain” was established in 1984 and has grown to become one of the world's most influential contemporary art institutions today. Through pioneering and forward-looking patronage, the foundation established a fresh curatorial methodology defined by multidisciplinary art and an appetite for curiosity and exploration. For over 30 years, the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain has collaborated closely with artists, presenting over 100 exhibitions and commissioning more than a thousand works of art, reflecting the foundation's bold and liberated approach to art.

      The Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain and Art Exhibitions China signed a strategic cooperation framework agreement in Beijing on 19 4 2015, reaching consensus on pragmatic cooperation in staff training, academic exchange and exhibition promotion. The partnership establishes a new model of international collaboration in the field of cultural heritage. To implement the framework agreement, the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain, Cartier's Heritage Department and Art Exhibitions China jointly organised an academic exchange programme for curatorial staff, with initial participants drawn from Art Exhibitions China, the Palace Museum and the Shanghai Museum. Centred around four key themes—contemporary art, exhibition design, cultural heritage preservation and cultural policy—curators deepened their understanding of contemporary art through the Fondation Cartier pour l'art contemporain during their European residency. Through the Cartier Heritage Department, they engaged in academic exchanges with esteemed institutions including the Musée du Louvre, the Centre Pompidou, the Réunion des Musées Nationaux and the Grand Palais, alongside opportunities to explore cooperation with European museums dedicated to Asian cultures, such as the Musée National des Arts Asiatiques - Guimet and the Musée Cernuschi, aiming to foster cultural dialogue between China and Western Europe.

      Cartier has long collaborated with the global museum community. In 1989, the Cartier Collection staged its first retrospective exhibition at the Petit Palais in Paris. Since then, the Cartier Collection has been invited to hold thematic exhibitions at 31 art museums worldwide, including prestigious institutions such as the British Museum in London, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the Moscow Kremlin Museums and the Grand Palais in Paris, as well as renowned venues across China such as the Shanghai Museum, the Palace Museum, the National Palace Museum in Taipei, the Liaoning Provincial Museum, the Power Station of Art in Shanghai and the Sichuan Museum, showcasing from various perspectives the evolution of Cartier's style and the decorative arts and social landscape of the West at the end of the 19th century.

      Alongside major thematic exhibitions, the Cartier Collection regularly loans select pieces to complement various short-term museum exhibitions worldwide. The diverse holdings of the Cartier Collection span a wide range of academic fields: lapis lazuli, horological history, decorative arts, space exploration, China and fashion, Indian royal court splendour, the history of buttons, and the designer Dries • Van Noten …… demonstrating the remarkably broad themes of exhibitions the Cartier Collection has contributed to within a span of just 2015 years.

2015 Cartier Collection Exhibition: Asia Imagined — Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art and the Cartier Collection 12 11 2015 to 14 2 2016, Baur Foundation, Museum of Far Eastern Art, Geneva, Switzerland

      Set out in a comparative dialogue, this distinctive exhibition presents over 160 carefully selected works from the Cartier Collection alongside more than one hundred pieces from the Baur Foundation. Curated by Sinologist Estelle Niklès van Osselt, the exhibition reveals the deep affinities between Cartier and Asian culture. This unprecedented perspective invites visitors to reflect upon Cartier's enduring exploration of the Far East, while appreciating the shared visionary foresight of high jewellery master Louis • Cartier and collector Alfred • Baur.

If you like replica Cartier watches, please continue following our website as we will regularly bring you more information and news regarding replica Cartier watches.