THOMAS GENTILLE
A leading exponent of art jewellery worldwide, Thomas Gentille (1936-2026) was 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.
Since the 1950s, he has been at the forefront of experimentation with both traditional and unconventional materials, challenging accepted notions of value and meaning in jewelry. Working with materials such as wood, stone, pigments, egg tempera, pumice, and laminate, he created objects of remarkable precision, balance, and quiet intensity—transforming jewelry into compact yet profound aesthetic and conceptual statements.
Thomas Gentille’s artworks are represented exclusively by Hannah Gallery.
For any request, please contact us at hannahgallery@klimt02.net.
A selection of available works will be presented soon for collectors, clients, and institutions.
On Thomas works:
What I respect and admire most is unique thinking. That, for the most part, is what is missing. Each person must find their own unique voice. I am an enemy of plagiarism. Now, there are many nice words in use to camouflage this word.
Gentille’s work is held in some of the most prestigious public collections, including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, Neue Sammlung and Danner Foundation, Munich; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Schmuckmuseum, Pforzheim; Museum of Arts and Design, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven; the Hermitage, St. Petersburg; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; and CODA Museum, Apeldoorn; and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
Since the 1950s, he has been at the forefront of experimentation with both traditional and unconventional materials, challenging accepted notions of value and meaning in jewelry. Working with materials such as wood, stone, pigments, egg tempera, pumice, and laminate, he created objects of remarkable precision, balance, and quiet intensity—transforming jewelry into compact yet profound aesthetic and conceptual statements.
Thomas Gentille’s artworks are represented exclusively by Hannah Gallery.
For any request, please contact us at hannahgallery@klimt02.net.
A selection of available works will be presented soon for collectors, clients, and institutions.
On Thomas works:
What I respect and admire most is unique thinking. That, for the most part, is what is missing. Each person must find their own unique voice. I am an enemy of plagiarism. Now, there are many nice words in use to camouflage this word.
Gentille’s work is held in some of the most prestigious public collections, including: The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York; Cooper-Hewitt, Smithsonian Design Museum, New York, Neue Sammlung and Danner Foundation, Munich; Victoria and Albert Museum, London; Schmuckmuseum, Pforzheim; Museum of Arts and Design, New York; Museum of Fine Arts, Boston; Philadelphia Museum of Art; Yale University Art Gallery, New Haven; the Hermitage, St. Petersburg; Museum of Fine Arts, Houston; Musée des Arts Décoratifs, Paris; Rijksmuseum and Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; and CODA Museum, Apeldoorn; and National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne.
