Daring color combinations and bold shapes are the heartbeat of the Bvlgari jewelry collections. The Maison’s newest high jewelry collection Polychroma, celebrates color in all of its nuanced bedazzling beauty in a luxurious coffee table book, “Bvlgari Polychroma”, that showcases the 150 piece collection. The 208-page book is as much about an exploration of the meaning of color as it is the new Bvlgari high jewelry collection. It is also filled with images from artists with work relevant to the subject and short essays discussing the use of color in their work. There is also an interview with Bvlgari designer Lucia Silvestri on her creative process. Published by Rizzoli, the text is by Kassia St. Clair, who writes about design, color and culture for a variety of publications.
A Collection Preview
The book opens with “A Collection Preview”, introduced by a few words, these pages introduce readers to the beautiful renderings of jewelry from the Polychroma collection. Each rendering, almost like a piece of art itself, is filled with intricate details and vibrant colors, foreshadowing what is to come. The section ends, as do all sections of the book, with a page of pure color that helps to set the tone and mood of the tome.
The Second chapter, “Roman Vibrancy” is divided into two parts: The Power of Color and Artworks by Salvo. For the Power of Color, St. Clair writes an essay on the history of color, the origins of some colors, its role in society and why it matters. Artwork by Salvo is a presentation of his paintings that explore cityscapes and landscapes through the use of light and color and how the two interact.
A Universe of Colors
This is followed by “A Universe of Colors”, also divided into two sections. The first, In Dialogue with Lucia Silvestri, is an interview with the designer by St. Clair. The interview focuses on Silvestri’s design process and the very important role colored gemstones play in her creations. It also touches on Bvlgari’s history with color and how the Polychroma Collection was brought to life. Through a series of images, the second section explores the colorful glasswork of artist Laura de Santillana.
Bvlgari Polychroma
The next chapter, “Bvlgari Polychroma”, shows photographic images of the collection. The photography is by Berlin-based Peter Langer, who is known for his distinctive approach to narrative still life imagery, defined by the sharp use of light, striking compositions and an acute study of objects. Each jewel is photographed in vivid detail. These same pieces were shown as renderings at the beginning of the book depicting the evolution of the collection from concept to completed jewel. The book is designed to give the jewelry a three-dimensional feeling, almost as if you could lift the jewels off the page.
Infinite Shapes
The chapter “Infinite Shapes” features an essay by St. Clair entitled Do You See What I See? The essay explains how personal color is and how each person sees color differently. It also talks about how color impacts our brains, our thought processes and how we relate to the world around us through color.
The second part of that chapter and the conclusion of the book investigates the work of one of the most important contemporary German photographers, Jessica Backhaus. In her work she uses the abstract interplay of color, shape and shadow, to create daring art.
Bvlagri Polychroma details the story of the Maison’s newest high jewelry collection, from start to finish, as well as the inspiration and design process that went into creating it. Colored gemstones are at the heart of Bvlgari’s innovative jewels that capture the vibrant spirit of Rome and Italy through bold forms and unexpected combinations of hues that create the harmonious beauty of the Polychroma high jewelry collection.
Top of Page: Cover, Bvlgari Polychroma, ©Peter Langer, courtesy Rizzoli.
Authored by Amber Michelle