Robert Smit
(The Netherlands, 1941)
Winner Françoise van den Bosch Award 2004
Robert Smit is a Dutch artist and jeweller whose work occupies a unique position within contemporary jewellery. Trained as an instrument maker and later as a goldsmith in Pforzheim, Germany, he developed an expressive and highly personal visual language. Drawing has always been central to his practice; in 1971 he abandoned jewellery for more than a decade to focus on drawing and painting, a period that profoundly shaped his later work. Returning to jewellery in 1985, Smit challenged prevailing ideas about the medium through his innovative use of gold, treating it as a pictorial and sculptural material rather than a symbol of status or value. His work is characterised by a continuous questioning of artistic conventions and his own methods. Internationally exhibited and widely collected, Smit is regarded as one of the most influential and independent voices in contemporary jewellery.
The award ceremony took place at SMCS, a temporary location of the Stedelijk Museum in Amsterdam, on 4 November 2004.
The jury of the 2004 Françoise van den Bosch Award:
Warwick Freeman
Florian Hufnagl
Renny Ramakers
Ward Schrijver
Liesbeth den Besten (chair)
Read the jury report here
Exhibition: Geel metalliek – Goud voor Robert Smit with works by Robert Smit and twenty other designers, in SMCS from 5 November 2004 through 30 January 2005
Paul Derrez 1985
N.T.
Onno Boekhoudt 1990
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1968
N.T.
Terhi Tolvanen 2004
Flos Bipetalus
Unknown artist ca. 1970
N.T.
Marion Delarue 2017
Parrot Devotees
Frans van Nieuwenborg 1972
N.T.
Benedikt Fischer 2023
N.T.
Noon Passama 2017
from the series 0123456789
Ruudt Peters 1972
Necklace
Marion Herbst 1971
N.T.
Lauren Kalman 2015
Device for Filling a Void (4)
Marc Monzó 2004
N.T.
Noon Passama 2013
Portrait #6
Iris Eichenberg 1995
N.T.
Bruno Ninaber van Eyben 1975
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1968
N.T.
Eline Willemarck 2015
Trophy
Françoise van den Bosch 1968
N.T.
Jing He 2013
Trophy for David
Françoise van den Bosch 1970
N.T.
Sally Marsland 2000/2001
Almost Black
Charlotte van der Waals 1974
N.T.
Marit van Heumen 2015
Neck Piece
Françoise van den Bosch 1972
N.T.
Lin Cheung 2016
Together
David Roux Fouillet 2012
Princess of 22
Frans van Nieuwenborg and Martijn Wegman 1982
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1970
N.T.
Masao Takahashi 2005
Samurai Sword
Frans de Wit 1975
N.T.
Ted Noten 2004
Coffee Cup
Yutaka Minegishi 2005
Ants’ Queen
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
Life cycle
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch ca. 1969/70
Life Cycle
Marc Monzó 2003
Flat Brooch
Corrina Goutos 2024
Lit Clip
Françoise van den Bosch 1976
N.T.
Virág Motesiczky 2019
Not So Sad Anymore, letters
Susanne Klemm 1996
Inflammable
Dominique Pelletey 1990
Ode au noir et blanc
Ted Noten 1998
Chew Your Own
Hil Andringa ca. 1970
N.T.
Manon van Kouswijk 1996
An Angel at my Table
Françoise van den Bosch 1971
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1967/77
N.T.
Maureen Kortenbusch 2021
The Archive of Adorning Entities
Unknown artist 1970 - 72
N.T.
Blanca Sanchez 2005
N.T.
Julia Obermaier 2024
J/D/M_110_U+
Blanca Sanchez 2005
N.T.
Xavier Ines Monclús 2004
The Whale’s Playground
Sally Marsland 2001-2002
Flat Colour
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
N.T.
Marc Monzó 2016
Moon
François Morellet 1972
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1967/68
N.T.
Gijs Bakker 1967
Pinkring
Esther Knobel 1987
Train
Françoise van den Bosch 1971
N.T.
Lauren Kalman 2015
Device for Filling a Void (4)
Eleonora Radke 2021
Schmatzen
Sophie Hanagarth 2008
Bretzel
Chun Chang 2026
Gideon
Suzanne Esser 1973
N.T.
Jiro Kamata 2005
Sunny Ring
Tarja Tuupanen 2000
Smokey Quartz Necklace
Virág Motesiczky 2019
Not So Sad Anymore
Iris Bodemer 1999
N.T.
Manami Aoki 2017
Hair of the Wood 3
Françoise van den Bosch 1969
N.T.
Erik Kuiper 2008
Ranah
Corrina Goutos 2024
Ehmi
Marijke de Goey 1986
Triangle
Françoise van den Bosch 1974/77
N.T.
Jan van der Vaart 1972
Zig-zag vase
David Bielander 2008
Corn Cob
Annelies Planteijdt 1987
N.T.
Nel Linssen 1992
N.T.
Marijke de Goey 1986
Square
Veronika Fabian 2020
Biglink
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1970
Two-piece bracelet
Conversation Piece 2016
Gold Rush
Marc Monzó 2009
Sun
Liesbet Bussche 2009
Urban Jewellery
Robert Smit 2002 - 2003
Bottle in Landscape
Sophie Hanagarth 2013
Lipstick
Paul de Nooijer 1990
N.T.
Florian Weichsberger 2019
Decontext
Françoise van den Bosch 1974
Two-part object
Noon Passama 2011
Extra Button
Andrea Wagner 1997
Ring with stone and ingrown jewelry
Richard Elenbaas 2013
Distinction
Chun Chang 2025
Everything is born at the End of the Flow
Adriaan van Strien 1971
Ball-bearing Bracelet
Marit van Heumen 2015
Ladder
Susanne Klemm 1996
Man-Woman
Kimmo Heikkilä 2004
Measure Ring
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Rudi de Gruijl 2023
N.T.
Lin Cheung 2007/2019
Jewellery Library
Berend Peter Hogen Esch 1974
N.T.
Marc Monzó 2004
N.T.
Xinyao Ding 2023
Sprouting
Gijs Bakker 1967
Circle bracelet
Pierre Degen 1984
N.T.
Maria van Kesteren 1970
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch ca. 1974
N.T.
Sarah Regensburger 2017
N.T.
Terhi Tolvanen 2004
Prima Gemmula
Roos van Soest 2008
Bravo
Jing He 2014
Potential Pins No.7
Ruudt Peters 1990
Lamego
Kimmo Heikkilä 2001
6 x Brooch
Tarja Tuupanen 2003
Black Granite Necklace
Marc Monzó 2004
Plastic Sticks
Françoise van den Bosch ca. 1974/75
N.T.
Zaina Benhamou 2025
Going for Gold
Ineke Heerkens 2021
Beading Breath
Marcel Wanders 1992
N.T.
Richard Elenbaas 2012
Elenbaas coin
Boris de Beijer 2011
N.T.
Marc Monzó 2013
Wall
Helen Britton 2001
Silver Structure with 2 Dishes
B.O.E.-group 1974
B.O.E.-box
Zbigniew Kosc 1990
N.T.
Maureen Kortenbusch 2021
The Quiet Globe of Air
Françoise van den Bosch 1969
N.T.
Tomomi Arata 1997
Treasures from under the Sea
Noon Passama 2009
Big Fat Trophy
Françoise van den Bosch
N.T.
Jing He 2014
Potential Pin
Marion Herbst 1986
N.T.
Helen Britton 2002
Garden of Infinity
Marion Herbst 1994
Little Cake
Maria van Kesteren 1982
N.T.
Gijs Bakker 1987
Jonas Nr 1
Karl Fritsch 2000
N.T.
Emmy van Leersum 1969
N.T.
Warwick Freeman 1992, 1997, 1998, 2001
5 brooches
Thomas Gentille 21st Century
N.T.
Manfred Bischoff 1991
Mann mit zwei Fragen
Marijke de Goey 1986
Square
Yuka Oyama 2003
Schmuck Quicky
Helena van der Kraan 1990
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1976 / 1993
N.T.
Andreea Raluca Cojocaru 2021
Made in Belgium by a Romanian
Ted Noten 1995
Cinderella’s Ring
Gemma Draper 2005
Is almost the right shape
Richard Elenbaas 2013
Lost Story
Unknown artist 1965 - 68
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Réka Fekete 2018
Sydney Parks
Frans van Nieuwenborg 1972
N.T.
Otto Künzli 1992
When Mickey Mouse was Born
Sophie Hanagarth 2013
Trap
Norman Weber 1999
Minimal nr.2
Berend Bodenkamp 1975
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1976
Cushion brooch
Hil Andringa
Square tile with one curled angle
VES 1984
N.T.
Peggy Bannenberg 1992
N.T.
Bernhard Schobinger 1984
Vogelkette
Mikiko Minewaki 2003
PLAchain
Sally Marsland 1999
Composite (white, two cups)
Karl Fritsch 2006
N.T.
Lucien den Arend ca. 1970
N.T.
Marc Monzó 2006-2010
Black Star
Julia Obermaier 2024
KOH-I-NOOR and Friends – Hardtmuth
Lin Cheung 2018
Delayed Reactions – Slightly Sad
Françoise van den Bosch
N.T.
Françoise van den Bosch 1973
N.T.
Frans van Nieuwenborg 1972
N.T.
Manami Aoki 2017
Hair of the Wood 1
Barend van Herpe 1990
N.T.
Lisa Walker 2010
Newtown Necklace
Françoise van den Bosch
Two hallmarks in original box
Onno Boekhoudt 1996
N.T.