Art Cristal

Key figures of the Art Nouveau era trained there, such as Gruber, who propelled glassmaking into the realm of fine art, Berger, and Almaric Walter, who first developed the pâte de verre technique. The initial exchanges between Émile Gallé and Antonin Daum went further, resulting in the creation of some of the most beautiful lighting fixtures of the period. The Daum brothers were the first to encase light in glass, and for this exceptional achievement, they received an award at the 1900 Paris Universal Exhibition. Inspired by this success, they founded the École de Nancy with Majorelle, Prouvé, Gruber, and Weissenburger, with the aim of promoting the crafts and art industries of eastern France. Their inspiration was drawn primarily from flora and fauna, which they celebrated in their creations.

In 1968, the Daum family breathed new life into the glassworks, which had become a crystal manufacturer in the 1950s, by reviving the lost-wax casting technique, applied to pâte de cristal, a technique rediscovered in the early 1900s by Almeric Walter. The crystal manufacturer took a decisive turn by launching its first artistic collaborations with leading artists of the time, such as Dalí, César, and Arman. Since then, it has continuously refined its expertise, working in partnership with artists from all movements: figurative art, contemporary art, African art, urban art, floral art, and women's art. The crystal manufacturer sets no limits, with the sole objective of reinventing the material without altering the essence of the artwork. Thanks to its exclusive technique, Daum creates unique pieces, bringing them to life in color.

Since then, the crystalworks has collaborated with over 400 artists from diverse movements, from Dalí to Villeglé, from Manolo Valdés to JonOne. Some artists have established long-term partnerships, sharing the same DNA as the crystalworks, and remain artists-in-residence, such as Jean-Philippe Richard, Marie-Paule Deville-Chabrolle, Sylvie Mangaud, Laurence Bonnel, and Madeleine van der Knoop. Others create capsule collections, in the form of unique works, like Gé Pellini, Jean Faucheur, Kongo, and Kriki. Daum, a historic crystalworks, wholeheartedly supports international art, while never neglecting to showcase the French art scene in its catalog, with artists such as Gérald Vatrin and Jean-No. The House of Daum draws upon its Decorative Arts heritage through its three favorite themes: women, flora, and fauna, creating limited-edition, numbered pieces. From Art Nouveau to Art Deco, from Floral Art to Figurative Art, Daum has been renewing itself and demonstrating its expertise for over 140 years in making the most beautiful works unique in an infinite creativity of colors.