Ophélie by Line Vautrin

“Ophélie” vide-poche by Line Vautrin, France, model created circa 1940. Silvered bronze vide-poche depicting the stylized face of Ophelia, the emblematic character from William Shakespeare’s Hamlet. The face is modeled in low relief, with large almond-shaped eyes and delicately incised features. Two sculpted flowers emerge in relief along the upper edge of the composition, directly evoking the floral imagery traditionally associated with Ophelia. The gently curved bronze transforms the face into a small sculptural dish. Ophelia became one of the most enduring female figures in Western art and literature. Her story inspired numerous painters, writers, poets and composers, including Eugène Delacroix, Arthur Rimbaud, Hector Berlioz and Alexandre Cabanel. Here, Line Vautrin translates this imagery into her distinctive artistic vocabulary, creating an object that is both functional and sculptural. The modeling of the bronze, incised details and raised floral elements give the surface a remarkably graphic quality. The “Ophélie” model is documented as having been created circa 1940. A gilt-bronze example of the same model was presented by Christie’s and is referenced in the exhibition catalogue Line Vautrin, L’Arc en Seine, Paris, 2002–2003, p. 12. Signed “Line Vautrin” on the reverse.