The French jewelry maker and designer Jean Després, is certainly best known for his intricate Art Deco jewelry made from machine parts, enamel and semi-precious stones. Després’ aesthetics could be related to his friendships with avant-garde artists, such as Georges Braque. Working for the government designing parts for aircraft during World War I, his jewelry became influenced by the utilitarian materials and shapes he saw in the factories. Després’ works were collected and worn by celebrities such as Josephine Baker, Andy Warhol, Paul Signac, and Andre Malraux.

His works are in the collections of the Musée d’Art Moderne de la Ville de Paris and The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, among others. The artist died on November 13, 1980 in Avallon, France. Born on June 15, 1889 in Souvigny, France, his father owned a jewelry shop and sent off his son to apprentice with a goldsmith and jeweler when he was 16. Després studied design at nights while in Paris and mingled in the Montmarte scene in his free time, where he met Georges Braque, Pablo Picasso, Amedeo Modigliani, and others.

Selected Exhibitions

Jean Després took part in several major exhibitions that helped shape the history of modern decorative arts and jewellery. His work reflects the spirit of the avant-garde and the emergence of a distinctly modern aesthetic in the early twentieth century.

• 1925 - International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, Paris.

• 1930 - Union des Artistes Modernes (UAM), Paris.

• 1935 - Salon de la Société des Artistes Français, Grand Palais, Paris.

• 1936 - Artistes de ce Temps, Paris.

• 1937 - International Exhibition of Arts and Techniques in Modern Life, Paris.

• 2009 - Bijoux Art déco et avant-garde. Jean Després et les bijoutiers modernes, Musée des Arts décoratifs, Paris. This major retrospective celebrated his distinctive contribution to modern jewellery and silverwork.

• 2018 - UAM, une aventure moderne (1929–1958), Centre Pompidou, Paris, exploring the legacy of the Union des Artistes Modernes and its role in twentieth-century design.