LALIQUE, René
Shoot: HORIUCHI COLOR LTD.
A car mascot is a decorative ornament attached to the radiator cap on the front of an automobile. From 1925, the master glass artist René Lalique released approximately 30 types of car mascots featuring various motifs such as horses, swallows, dragonflies, and comets. The expression of this figure, which seems to be shouting with an open mouth, and the radial form of her streaming hair represent the power and speed of the automobile. Also known as the Goddess of Wind, the figure symbolizes an era of remarkable progress in transportation. This particular piece was formerly in the collection of the Mitsui family (founders of the Mitsui Zaibatsu) and is said to have been purchased from the famous jeweler Asprey, which still exists in London.
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