Van Cleef & Arpels promotes education in the world of art

The series of seminars taking place in Dubai from 19-21 January at Emirates Towers, Abu Dhabi from 20-22 January at Emirates Palace Hotel and Kuwait City from 22-24 January 2008 at Marina Hotel. Art lovers were invited to participate in a range of one day intensive programmes available for the first time in the Middle East. The courses, entitled 'Smart Collecting', 'Modern & Contemporary Middle Eastern Art', and 'Understanding Jewellery & Watches' were presented by internationally renowned experts in the respective fields.

Representing the unique brand at this captivating workshop was Catherine Cariou, who graduated from the Faculty of Law and History at Ecole du Louvre in Paris and after working in various auction houses in the French capital, joined Van Cleef & Arpels in 2000 as Heritage Director. Ms. Cariou's mission is to enrich the Van Cleef & Arpels private collection, which charts the company's historic, artistic and technical evolution. She held two different modules in all three cities: the first one on the Masterpieces of floral inspiration and Couture style during a century of creation and the second one, on unique pieces and special orders.

Exceptional pieces were on display, specially brought over from the Van Cleef & Arpels museum in Paris. Pieces included a 'Flames' brooch worn by Jacqueline Kennedy in 1960, Grace Kelly's tiara that she wore for the wedding of her daughter Princess Caroline in 1978, and the replica of Farah Dibah's tiara made for the occasion of her coronation in 1967, amongst others.

The Van Cleef & Arpels private collection consists of 400 jewellery items, time pieces and fashion accessories that date back to 1906. Housed at 22 Place Vendôme, select objects from the collection are frequently displayed in prestigious museums, galleries and foundations, so that connoisseurs and jewellery lovers around the world can enjoy the imagination and beauty of Van Cleef & Arpels.

'We are pleased to be invited to offer our knowledge to such a unique educational programme and add to the blooming cultural scene within the region. By providing a detailed insight into the beauty and the excellence of the unique world of Van Cleef & Arpels, we hope to expand people's concept of art not only to paintings and sculpture, but to jewellery, and to increase the appreciation of the time and craftsmanship that goes into the production of all of our exceptional pieces of art,' said Stephane de Palmas, Director of Van Cleef & Arpels in the Middle East.