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HERITAGE

S uzanne Ledru was born in Paris one May morning in 1892, on the second floor of 20, rue Thérèse, where her father René Lalique had his workshop. Although he lived at this address with Suzanne’s mother, Alice Ledru, he also had a residence in the Auteuil district, home to his wife Marie-Louise Lambert and their daughter Georgette. Suzanne’s cradle was placed in the same room as the large, refractory brick oven. Crates brimming with coal and other materials used in making jewellery littered the floor. Lalique worked tirelessly there amid the continuous back and forth of artisans, draughtsmen, mould makers, engravers, carvers, errand boys and others. Already renowned, he received clients on the premises and occasionally threw parties for his artist friends that were also attended by the Tout-Paris . The apartment was wonderful, its walls ornamented with wood and plaster bas-reliefs designed by Lalique and depicting extravagant cavalcades, flying Valkyries, legendary epics. It was in this feverish and art-filled setting that Suzanne made her entrance into the world. As her father travelled abroad regularly to expand his client base and take part in many exhibitions, Alice was often left alone to attend to the baby. Suzanne adored her maternal grandfather, the sculptor and ornamentalist Auguste Ledru, who often worked for Rodin, and then became his close friend. She spent many afternoons with him at his house on Avenue de Ségur.

Costume party to celebrate Suzanne’s eighteenth birthday ©Lalique SA

SUZANNE’S CHILDHOOD WAS SPENT OBSERVING AND ASSIMILATING.

There was a wonderful garden, with Ledru’s sculpture studio at the rear. Suzanne wiled away hours watching him work and learned a great deal. On school holidays, she went to her great-grandfather’s house in the Champagne region, where her paternal grandmother Olympe Berthélémy lived. A gifted embroiderer, Olympe received intricate designs from her son to be reproduced in silk thread on sumptuous fabrics, along with carved ornaments to be included in her pieces. The Musée des Arts Décoratifs has a wide embroidered collar of her making in its collection. Suzanne’s childhood was spent observing and assimilating.

THE APARTMENT WAS WONDERFUL, ORNAMENTED WITH WOOD AND PLASTER BAS-RELIEFS. IT WAS IN THIS FEVERISH AND ART-FILLED SETTING THAT SUZANNE MADE HER ENTRANCE INTO THE WORLD.

Tourbillons vase, 1926, clear glass with black enamel © Studio Y. Langlois/musée Lalique - donated by Shai Bandmann and Ronald Ooi Sketch of decoration for Sèvres porcelain vase, c. 1920, gouache, watercolour and black ink ©Musée Lalique - donated by Shai Bandmann and Ronald Ooi Plate border design, c. 1920, gouache on paper ©Musée Lalique - donated by Shai Bandmann and Ronald Ooi

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