It has been eight years since the passing of the remarkable Dutch jeweller Nel Linssen, yet her innovative paper jewellery remains one of the greatest legacies in the world of modern jewellery. Originally trained as a textile designer, her intuitive approach to materials led to a lifelong dedication to her paper jewellery practice.

The relationship between the wearer and the observer was paramount—the wearer experiences the sensuous material, while the constant visual changes created by the body’s movement captivate the viewer. Nel Linssen’s work is held in numerous collections worldwide.

Listen to Christina Jansen introduce Nel Linssen’s jewellery here

Nel Linssen

Born: 1935

Place of Birth: Mook/Middelaar, Netherlands

Died: 2016

Nel Linssen always took an intuitive approach to her bracelets and necklaces made from paper; however, it is also an approach based on years of research and haptic knowledge. The relationship between wearer and viewer is paramount to Linssen’s work, its articulation on the body enhancing and highlighting the jewellery’s colours and textures. While the wearer is aware of the sensuous nature and movement of the jewellery, the viewer is drawn to the constant visual changes to the work wrought by the slightest movement of the body. The Gallery held a special relationship with the artist over three decades. We celebrated her 80th birthday in 2015.

Public Collections include:

Museum of Modern Art, Arnhem; Stedelijk Museum, Amsterdam; Aberdeen Art Gallery & Museums; Victoria & Albert Museum, London; Handwerkspflege Bayern, Munich; Brooklyn Museum, New York; Fonds National d’Arts Contemporain, Paris; Museum of Applied Art, Oslo; The Museum of Fine Arts, Houston, Texas, USA; The National Gallery of Victoria, Melbourne; Musée des Arts Decoratifs, Montreal

Moving Geometry

Nel Linssen

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