Untitled: Thomas Gentille American Jeweler

A leading exponent of art jewellery worldwide, Thomas Gentille is a leading light in studio jewellery in the United States. In the late 1950s the American artist was the first to use novel combinations of plastic, aluminium, wood, papier mâché, sawdust, silk, glass and air – instead of gold, silver and precious stones. Gentille wants to call into question the value of precious metals in jewellery and the way they are appraised. He also objects to a chronological approach to his works. His pieces are one-offs, which are often unique in their closeness to sculpture and architecture. A remarkable feature is the ‘eggshell’ technique Gentille has developed, with which he creates astonishing crackle effects. With more than 180 jewellery objects and drawings, the present publication represents the first comprehensive overview of his life’s work.

Gentille’s works are owned by leading museums worldwide, including The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, Cleveland Museum of Art, Philadelphia Museum of Art, The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne, Victoria and Albert Museum, London and Die Neue Sammlung – The Design Museum, Munich.