Since the creation of Cartier by Louis-François Cartier in 1847 in Paris, charismatic women have always played a major role in the Maison’s history, creativity and evolution. Not only the French jewellery creations have been worn and cherished by the world’s most influential women, but they have also been inspired by women and been a reflection of women’s emancipation.

From members of the royal families like Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Marie of Romania, Princess Grace of Monaco, to actresses and celebrities such as Elizabeth Taylor, Audrey Hepburn, or Catherine Deneuve, powerful women have been at the heart of Cartier over the years.

“Cartier and Women”, Hong Kong Palace Museum

These enduring relationships are highlighted for the first time in the special exhibition Cartier and Women, on view until 14 August at the Hong Kong Palace Museum.

Organised and curated by the HKPM with the support of Cartier, this is the first major exhibition on the unique role and influence of women in Cartier’s history. Featuring about three hundred treasures created by Cartier, the exhibition showcases precious jewellery, timepieces, objects, accessories and archival records from the 19th century to the present day.

One of the highlights of the exhibition is the story of Cartier’s first female Creative Director Jeanne Toussaint (1887-1976), appointed by Louis Cartier in 1933. Toussaint was a pioneer in a male-dominated society of the early 20th century and she revolutionised the modern jewellery, championing women’s empowerment, elevating jewellery from merely accentuating external appearance to intimately expressing character and essence. She designed the Panthère brooch in 1949, which was acquired at the time by the Duchess of Windsor. The panthère has since become a signature Cartier motif.

Jeanne Toussaint

Unveiling fascinating stories and also highlighting how Cartier was inspired by Chinese art as well as art from other parts of the world, the exhibition comprises four thematic sections.

The first section, “Royal and Aristocratic Women: Elegance and Prestige”, is dedicated to the significant role of the royals and elite women in the history of Cartier in the 19th century.

The second section, “New Women: Breaking with Tradition”, explores the evolutions in jewellery design and how it reflected women’s emancipation.

The third section, “Inquisitive Women: Cross-cultural Inspirations”, highlights the influence of art from China and other parts of the world.

The fourth section, “Influential Women: Glamorous Legends”, features modern and contemporary female icons, with pieces from the collections of Princess Grace of Monaco or British-American actress Elizabeth Taylor, as well as renowned Asian actresses Brigitte Lin and Carina Lau, and businesswoman Pansy Ho from Hong Kong.

“Cartier and Women”, Hong Kong Palace Museum

This exceptional exhibition has been made possible thanks to Cartier’s dedication since the 1970’s to collect pieces produced in its early years, such as jewellery, timepieces, and other precious accessories, and the establishment of the Cartier Collection in 1983, which now contains more than three thousand pieces.

These pieces serve as material records of Cartier’s history and creativity, and provide an historical account of evolutions within the decorative arts and in society since the end of the 19th century. The Cartier Collection has sparked the interest of museums worldwide with exhibitions held at the Grand Palais and Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris, the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, the British Museum in London, the Palace Museum in Beijing, the National Art Center in Tokyo, the Dallas Museum of Art in USA, the Museo Jumex in Mexico, etc.

Necklace, Cartier Paris, 1934, Jadeite, platinum, gold, diamonds, and rubies, Provenance: Barbara Hutton (1912–1979) – Marian Gérard, Collection Cartier © Cartier

The special exhibition at the Hong Kong Palace Museum is also the occasion to discover how Chinese art and culture have inspired style, motifs, materials and craftsmanship of Cartier.

For instance, the first Cartier pendant with the yin-yang symbol was created in 1919, inspired by Daoism, a time-honoured philosophy and religion in China. A brooch featuring two dragons chasing a pearl, a popular motif in Chinese art, was acquired in 1920 by designer Jeanne Paquin, the first major female designer in France. Also showcased is a necklace made of jadeite, a beloved gemstone in China, gifted to the American style icon Barbara Hutton upon her marriage in 1933.

To complement the exhibition, HKPM offers diverse educational programmes, from scholarly lectures to film screenings, music and dance performances, and artmaking workshops.

Finally, it is worth saying that Cartier has sponsored 5,000 complimentary admission tickets for underprivileged people.

More details on the exhibition can be found by clicking on the link HERE.