Cartier

The bird motif occupies a recurring place within Cartier’s bestiary. A universal symbol of freedom, closely intertwined with the history of Cartier and with the personality of Jeanne Toussaint, who became Cartier’s Creative Director in 1933.

During the Second World War, Jeanne Toussaint conceived a bird enclosed in a cage, a poignant metaphor for occupied France. Displayed in the windows of Cartier’s boutique on Rue de la Paix in Paris, this bold symbol did not go unnoticed and drew the hostility of the German authorities based nearby at the Hôtel Ritz.

At the Liberation, the bird reappeared outside its cage, wings outstretched, celebrating the return of freedom. Far from being abandoned thereafter, the motif became a recurring theme. Perched on a branch or resting quietly, the bird is depicted in moments of serenity and balance. Avoiding overtly dramatic effects, Cartier embraces a sensitive and naturalistic vision of the animal, capturing a suspended moment in time, just before its next flight.

Through its many interpretations, the bird embodies one of Cartier’s most cherished values: elegance inseparably linked to freedom.