Art Nouveau Pearl European Hornet (Vespa crabro) Brooch

About the work

Lucien Gautrait, c. 1900, France. Qatar Museums / National Collection of Qatar, Doha. The composition centres on a baroque pearl — a natural pearl of irregular shape — which Gautrait reimagined as the paper cells of a hornet's nest. Transparent enamel wings in the plique-à-jour technique give the illusion of subtle movement, while the pearl's uneven surface echoes the layered structure of the nest. Inspired by insects of European gardens and forests, the brooch reflects the Art Nouveau fascination with the natural world. Shown in Around the World in Jewellery at M7, Doha.