The Rene Lalique exhibit at the Royal Ontario Museum was small, but nice. The museum itself is in total disarray as a major remodeling program is underway. The ROM has managed to keep some items on exhibit and has combined some things to at least give visitors paying absurd ticket prices a chance to see some parts of the collection. One would think that a museum that is noisy from buzz saws, dusty, and showing 1/4 of their items would offer discounted tickets in all price ranges, adults, seniors, students, etc.
The Lalique show has about 65 pieces - some in color - many vases and fish items as to be expected. No real surprises, but it's nice to see them all together in the small exhibit space. He really was a genius. There are goblets and ash trays and lamps, and other lovely pieces.
All, but two, of ROM's many paperweights are put away until the major remodeling is done. The weights that are shown are nicely positioned in a small, but new display - again covering all the bases so folks get a hint at the possibilities. There is a gorgeous oversize Clichy of scattered millefiori with a single Clichy rose and also a Clichy sulphide of some queen or another, floating on a ruby red flash ground surrounded by alternating blue and white canes. This weight is faceted. The two Clichys are shown on a writing desk along with a pen, inkwell, a blotter, some paper on which someone has written a letter, a gorgeous desk and other furniture from the Victorian era. This Victorian window is near an area of dreamy ART DECO collectibles and furniture.
Coming in October, Italian Style - a celebration of sleek objects (desks, Vespas, cinema, glass, etc.) from Italy.