Les roseaux à visage humain et Le lit de la rivière by Line Vautrin

Reeds with Human Faces and The Riverbed, a set of two boxes. (Les roseaux à visage humain et le lit de la rivière) by Line Vautrin.
Set of two gilt bronze boxes, titled Reeds with Human Faces and The Riverbed.
The first is decorated with a relief of undulating lines, evoking the shifting surface of a river. The second depicts a cluster of reeds, their tips transformed into small stylized faces. Notably, the reverse of this box reprises the pattern of The Riverbed, linking the two designs.
Beyond whimsy and lightness, Vautrin develops here a subtle metaphor: reeds, fragile when standing alone yet strong when growing together, become an allegory of community and friendship. Their faces—similar yet distinct—suggest a collective in which each individuality finds its place. The juxtaposition with the flowing river underlines this duality: the fluid strength of water and the resilience of reeds, supple yet deeply rooted.
Inside lined with cork.