Press release

CHAUMET & NATURE: NATURE-INSPIRED JEWELLERY SINCE 1780 FIRST EXHIBITION OF MAISON CHAUMET IN THE MIDDLE EAST OPENS THIS FALL

23 October 2024

The exhibition explores how the French jewellery house has continually reinvented natural forms over the course of its 240-year history

On view 1 November through 19 December 2024 at M7

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This fall, Maison Chaumet, in collaboration with M7 and Qatar Museums and Qatar Creates, will present Chaumet & Nature: Nature-Inspired Jewellery Since 1780, a survey charting the history of Maison Chaumet and its longstanding and unwavering dedication to capturing the particularities of the natural world. The exhibition marks the first high jewellery exhibition of its kind held in Qatar and will feature nearly 107 pieces of jewellery and 111 visual works from both the Maison’s and Qatar Museums’ collections, including 8 works that have never been shown before. The exhibition will be on view from 1 November through 19 December 2024 at M7, Qatar’s epicentre for innovation and entrepreneurship in design, fashion, and technology.

Founded in 1780, Maison Chaumet is one of the oldest jewellery houses in France and is closely linked to the development of the nation. Chaumet’s first major client was Napoleon Bonaparte, for whom the Maison’s founder, Marie-Étienne Nitot, set the épée used during his coronation as Emperor. The house has maintained a botanical vision for its fine crafts for more than 240 years. Its pieces have drawn inspiration from quotidian wonders of nature ranging from flowers and leaves to more unusual subject matter such as wheat, grapes, laurels, pansies, palm trees, giraffes, and wings. A special portion of the show will be dedicated to Maison’s Chaumet’s use of pearls, which have played a key role in Qatar’s national heritage.

Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti, director of M7, said, “The remarkable beauty of Maison Chaumet’s jewellery presents the relationship between craftspeople and nature over the course of nearly a quarter of a millennium. Such beauty resonates across many cultures and generations, proving that timeless beauty speaks to us all. We look forward to presenting these precious works to our M7 audience, where they are sure to inspire designers across media to develop new forms and ideas. We are particularly excited to present a group of Maison Chaumet works that employ pearls, which have been essential to the identity of Qatar since the nation’s earliest days.”

Charles Leung, Chief Executive Officer of Chaumet, commented “The Chaumet & Nature exhibition and collaboration is unique in many ways and pays tribute to the relationship between France and Qatar in the 1970s. This collaborative exhibition highlights exceptional orders from Qatar, inspired by the Qatari cultural heritage and made in the High Jewellery workshop of 12 Place Vendôme, Paris.”

Chaumet & Nature is organised in five sections that demonstrate nature as a key element of Maison’s designs: Preserving Nature, Drawing Nature, Observing Nature, Living in Nature, and Diving in Nature. The exhibition will include pieces from Qatar Museums’ collection including the

Duke of Westminster's transformable wings tiara (1907), the Greek frieze tiara (1910), the Rising sun aigrette (1910), all by Joseph Chaumet, and the Countess Katharina Henckel von Donnersmarck's emerald tiara (1900) by Chaumet.

With a focus on advancing Qatar’s creative economy and cultivating local talent, the exhibition and partnership with Maison Chaumet actively engage local creatives in various capacities. The exhibition features a poem called “Treasures of the Earth” by Salman Bin Khalid, which was created for Chaumet to celebrate the significant role of poetry in Arabic literature. Chaumet also commissioned the Qatari artist Shouq Al Mana to design an exclusive piece for the exhibition, that pays tribute to the Qatari tradition of pearl diving and commerce and that takes inspiration from the motif of underwater nature, one of the Maison’s many sources of inspiration. In March 2024, M7 collaborated with Maison Chaumet on selecting Zainab AlShibani, a local graphic designer, to create the new Arabic logo, which is now present in all Chaumet’s flagship stores across the Middle East.

The M7 gift shop, in collaboration with IN-Q, will feature specially crafted designs for this presentation, along with exclusive offers not available elsewhere.

Curated by Maison Chaumet, the exhibition will merge the Maison’s collections with those of the Qatar Museums’, honouring the links the two countries have shared since the 1970s. The exhibition is a legacy project of the Qatar–France 2020 Year of Culture, a year-long programme of collaborations between institutions across both countries.

Chaumet & Nature: Nature-Inspired Jewellery Since 1780 is presented as part of the Fall/Winter 2024-2025 Season of Qatar Creates-a platform dedicated to amplifying the voices of Qatar’s creative industries and promoting cultural activities within the country.

For exhibition details, ticket bookings, and visiting hours, please visit:https://m7.org.qa/en/calendar/chaumet-and-nature/.

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About Qatar Museums

Qatar Museums (QM), the nation’s preeminent institution for art and culture, provides authentic and inspiring cultural experiences through a growing network of museums, heritage sites, festivals, public art installations, and programmes. QM preserves and expands the nation’s cultural offerings, sharing art and culture from Qatar, the Middle East, North Africa, and South Asia (MENASA) with the world and enriching the lives of citizens, residents, and visitors.

Under the patronage of His Highness the Amir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and led by its Chairperson, Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, QM has made Qatar a vibrant centre for the arts, culture, and education in the Middle East and beyond. QM is integral to the goal of developing an innovative, diverse, and progressive nation, bringing people together to ignite new thinking, spark critical cultural conversations, and amplify the voices of Qatar’s people. Since its founding in 2005, QM has overseen the development of museums and festivals including the Museum of Islamic Art (MIA) and MIA Park, Mathaf: Arab Museum of Modern Art, the National Museum of Qatar (NMoQ), 3-2-1 Qatar Olympic and Sports Museum, QM Gallery Al Riwaq, QM Gallery Katara, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, and Design Doha. Future projects include Dadu: Children’s Museum of Qatar, Art Mill Museum, Qatar Auto Museum and the Lusail Museum.

Through its newly created Creative Hub, QM also initiates and supports projects—such as the Fire Station Artist in Residence, the Tasweer Qatar Photo Festival, M7, the creative hub for innovation, fashion and design, and Liwan Design Studios and Labs—that nurture artistic talent and create opportunities to build a strong and sustainable cultural infrastructure.

Animating everything that Qatar Museums does is an authentic connection to Qatar and its heritage, a steadfast commitment to inclusivity and accessibility, and a belief in creating value through invention.

About M7

M7 is Qatar’s epicentre for innovation and entrepreneurship in fashion, design and technology. Established by Qatar Museums under the leadership of Her Excellency Sheikha Al-Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, M7 is committed to accelerating the growth of Qatar’s creative economy by providing mentorship and opportunities for designers to build a successful business both locally and internationally, while encouraging the fashion and design industry to play their part in the growth of Qatar’s creative circular ecosystem. M7’s platforms include comprehensive incubation and mentorship programmes, world-class exhibitions and pop-ups, and public discussions. Located at the heart of Msheireb Downtown Doha, M7 serves to create a space for creatives by working closely with its Resident Partners, Cutting Studio, Studio 7, Scale 7, Fromm, Workinton and Profiles. M7 has also hosted world-class exhibitions includingMasterpieces of Furniture Design(2023), Forever Valentino(2022), Christian Dior Designer of Dreams(2021). In 2024, M7 became a central hub for Design Doha, Qatar Museums’ biennial showcase for excellence and innovation in the design community in Qatar and the MENA region, hosting the event’s main exhibitions. Maha Ghanim Al Sulaiti is the Director of M7.

FIND US ONLINE:

Qatar Museums

Twitter:@Qatar_Museums|Instagram:@Qatar_Museums| Facebook:@QatarMuseums

M7

Instagram:@m7.qatar

Email:contact@m7.org.qa

Website: https://m7.org.qa/en/

About Years of Culture

The Years of Culture initiative, chaired by Her Excellency Sheikha Al Mayassa bint Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani, spearheads long-lasting cultural partnerships between Qatar and other nations. It exists to promote respect and understanding among diverse cultures and serves as a catalyst for bringing people together, nurturing connections, encouraging dialogue, and deepening understanding. Though formal programming spans one year, the lasting impact continues through legacy projects.

The Qatar-Morocco 2024 Year of Culture is developed in collaboration with leading organizations in Qatar with counterparts in Morocco and with assistance from the Moroccan Ministry of Youth, Culture, and Communication, Qatar’s Embassy in Morocco, and the Embassy of the Kingdom of Morocco in Qatar.

Previous Years of Culture have included: Qatar-Japan 2012, Qatar-UK 2013, Qatar-Brazil 2014, Qatar-Türkiye 2015, Qatar-China 2016, Qatar-Germany 2017, Qatar-Russia 2018, Qatar-India 2019, Qatar-France 2020, Qatar-USA 2021, Qatar-MENASA 2022, and Qatar-Indonesia 2023.

FIND US ONLINE:

Years of Culture

Website: yearsofculture.qa

X: @YearsofCulture | Instagram: @YearsofCulture | Facebook: @YearsofCulture

Media Contact

Lolwa Al Malki – M7 Communications & Social Media Coordinator

lalmalki@qm.org.qa

+974 5005 0725

Hanan Mustafa Saif — Qatar Museums

hsaif@qm.org.qa

+974 4402 8543

Julia Caira — Qatar Museums

jcaira@qm.org.qa

+974 7021 5800

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