MARIE ANTOINETTE: THE INFLUENCE OF A QUEEN
Between history and fascination, the Palace of Versailles remains a precious source of inspiration for Maison Mellerio. On the occasion of the exhibition celebrating the twentieth anniversary of Sofia Coppola’s film Marie Antoinette, the Maison rekindles the singular connection that unites it with the most iconic queen in its history.
At the heart of Mellerio’s heritage lies a unique piece: its precious cameo bracelet. Crafted at the end of the 18th century, at a time when a taste for Antiquity and the brilliance of gemstones shaped courtly fashion, this jewel embodies the meeting of a queen’s destiny with the boldness of the world’s oldest jeweller.
FROM VERSAILLES TO 9 RUE DE LA PAIX
When the discovery of Pompeii in 1763 sparked an unprecedented fascination with antique jewelry, the Mellerio family imported these precious cameos from Italy, highly coveted by the elegant ladies of the Court. Oral tradition recounts that in 1780, fifteen-year-old Jean-Baptiste Mellerio would position himself outside the gates of the Palace of Versailles with his marmotte, a presentation case now preserved at 9 Rue de la Paix. Noticed by the royal carriage, he is said to have sold this cameo bracelet, adorned with flowers and foliage and claw-set in gold, to one of the Queen’s attendants.
