A LALIQUE "MASQUE DE FEMME" FROSTED CRYSTAL PANEL, ENGRAVED SIGNATURE, NO.11645, MID 20TH CENTURY, of square form and centering a nicely modeled mask of the Greek sea nymph Arethusa wearing a diadem of exotic dolphins in relief, engraved, "Lalique France," together with a nickel-chrome easel stand. Height: 12" Width: 12" Note: René Lalique (French 1860-1945) originally created the mysteriously elegant "Masque de Femme" panel in 1935 for a fountain. His inspiration stemmed from the love he had for both nature and women brought together in the Greek mythological tragedy of Arethusa, an aquatic nymph. The story tells us how she had to flee from her home Arcadia deep in the ocean depths, only to surface later on the Sicilian island of Ortygia as a water fountain. In his Masque de Femme panel he centers Arethusa's lovely expression with balanced soft features of exotic eyes, nose and a gentle smile framed by stylized grotesque dolphins with bulging eyes and open mouths. This composition is then made all the more successful by the use of a satin frosted texture throughout with clear highlights creating a soft glowing yet mysterious expression for the Arethusa.