AMNH Announces Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry from the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels

Spiral clip, 1942. Van Cleef & Arpels Collection. Courtesy of Van Cleef & Arpels

Special Exhibition of Astronomically Inspired Jewelry Opens April 11

On April 11, the American Museum of Natural History will open Cosmic Splendor: Jewelry from the Collections of Van Cleef & Arpels, a stunning assemblage of astronomically inspired jewelry from the collections of the High Jewelry Maison founded in Paris’ Place Vendôme in 1906.

From dramatic necklaces depicting rockets in flight, to gem-encrusted pendants inspired by distant nebulae and watches with intricate mechanisms that trace the transit of planetary bodies, Cosmic Splendor will feature nearly 70 celestial, mythological, and astrological jewelry creations that celebrate the wonders and mysteries of the cosmos.

For millennia, people everywhere have been captivated by the night sky and moved by the grandeur of space to explore the workings of our universe and to create captivating works of art. From the early astronomical observations of Galileo to iconic space missions such as Apollo 11, and new discoveries made possible by cutting-edge tools like the James Webb Space Telescope, what we have uncovered about the universe has had an unparalleled influence on artistic creative expression. With dozens of jewelry creations, timepieces, and precious objects from Van Cleef & Arpels’ patrimonial Collection and contemporary jewels generously lent by their owners for the occasion, Cosmic Splendor will be a dazzling showcase that celebrates our enduring fascination with the cosmos.

Cosmic Splendor is curated by Director of Patrimony and Exhibitions at Van Cleef & Arpels Alexandrine Maviel-Sonet, guest curator, and Kate Kiseeva, assistant curator in the Museum’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Division of Physical Sciences. Additional consultation is provided by Denton Ebel, curator in the Museum’s Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences, Division of Physical Sciences, and Ruth Angus, associate curator, Department of Astrophysics, Division of Physical Sciences. The exhibition is designed by the Museum’s award-winning Exhibition department.

Cosmic Splendor will open to the public on April 11 in the Melissa and Keith Meister Gallery, which featured Garden of Green: Exquisite Jewelry from the Collection of Van Cleef & Arpels in 2023-24, another collaboration between the Museum and Van Cleef & Arpels.

About the American Museum of Natural History (AMNH)

The American Museum of Natural History, founded in 1869 with a dual mission of scientific research and science education, is one of the world’s preeminent scientific, educational, and cultural institutions. The Museum encompasses more than 40 permanent exhibition halls, galleries for temporary exhibitions, the Rose Center for Earth and Space including the Hayden Planetarium, and the Richard Gilder Center for Science, Education, and Innovation. The Museum’s scientists draw on a world-class permanent collection of more than 30 million specimens and artifacts, some of which are billions of years old, and on one of the largest natural history libraries in the world. Through its Richard Gilder Graduate School, the Museum offers two of the only free-standing, degree-granting programs of their kind at any museum in the U.S.: the Ph.D. program in Comparative Biology and the Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) Earth Science residency program. Visit amnh.org for more information.

About Van Cleef & Arpels

Born from the love story of Alfred Van Cleef and Esther (known as Estelle) Arpels, Van Cleef & Arpels was founded in Paris in 1906 at 22 Place Vendôme. Inspired in turn by nature, couture, dance, and imaginary worlds, the High Jewelry Maison has cultivated a style imbued with poetry. Its quest for creative excellence has given life to the Mystery Set technique, one of Van Cleef & Arpels’ most emblematic savoir-faire. This enchanting universe is expressed in numerous pieces, such as the Zip necklace and the Alhambra motif. 

In the 1970s, Jacques Arpels began buying back old pieces emblematic of the Maison’s style to preserve them for future generations. Today, the patrimonial Collection is comprised over 2,700 High Jewelry, Jewelry, Watchmaking creations, and precious objects. Handcrafted between 1906 and the 2000s, these works trace the evolution of Van Cleef & Arpels’ style and inspirations, as well as the development of its expertise. Since 1992, the year of the first major patrimonial exhibition in a museum highlighting the Collection, renowned cultural institutions and Van Cleef & Arpels boutiques have been presenting it to the public. These events are occasions to demonstrate how the Maison’s creation is part of the history of jewelry and contributes to the wealth of the French decorative arts.

Cosmic Splendor is generously supported by the Kate W. Cassidy Foundation.