Line Vautrin gilded bronze brooch "Les Grenouilles"

Line Vautrin was a French jewelry maker, designer, and decorative artist. Best known for her uncategorizable manufacture of objects and jewelry, Vautrin’s practice involved ideas of symbolism and goldsmithing. Characterized by hieroglyphic-like shapes, intricate lines, visual alliteration, and the extensive use of yellow gold, her work was both elegant and innovative. Born on April 28, 1913 in Paris, France into a family of metal workers, she created most of her mid-century Modernist pieces through the process of experimentation, achieving popularity after her involvement in the Paris International Exhibition in 1937. She enjoyed prosperity and acclaim within ornament and jewelry spheres until her death in Paris, France on April 12, 1997.