by Bethan Ryder

To celebrate its 250th anniversary the leading French crystal house has commissioned three films starring the iconic Harcourt glass

"I think she's the most painted women of the 20th-century so far", remarks New York artist Alex Katz fondly of his wife Ada, who's been his enigmatic muse for the past 57 years. The pair, filmed together in their New York home and the artist's studio, are clearly still very much in love. He can recall exactly what she was wearing the first time he saw her – "a beige sweater and a grey skirt" – and how her smile lit up the whole place. Over half a century later she still recalls their first date with delight: "It was a concert by Billie Holiday at Carnegie Hall, oh my, this was working out well... and so we got married and here we are, a thousand years later!"

The love story of Alex and Ada Katz has been captured in a short poetic film, cut with paintings by the artist and images of him at work, and set to a jazz soundtrack, by New York director Chiara Clemente. She was commissioned to make the film by the French fine crystal house Baccarat, which is celebrating its 250th anniversary this year. The brand asked three female directors in three different cities (also Joséphine de la Baume in London and Sonia Sieff in Paris) to capture a love story on film as a tribute to its illustrious history, which they describe as a symbol of French "art de vivre". The film series is called Legendary Stories and Baccarat's iconic Harcourt glass, first designed in 1841, stars in each one. 

Director Chiara Clemente says of Alex and Ada Katz, "I wanted to celebrate their love and the way they continuously inspire each other. Like Baccarat, they possess the beauty of longevity and impeccable precision".

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> via The Telegraph