Widely accepted as one of the most significant jewellers, German artist Gerd Rothmann is known for his tactile approach to metal and how jewellery relates to the human form.

The International Decorative Arts collections of NGV International include a number of works by leading international artist-makers. A particular strength of the collection is work by significant contemporary jewellery artists including Karl Fritsch, Gerd Rothmann, Otto Künzli and Warwick Freeman. Other areas of craft practice represented include contemporary studio glass, with works by Richard Marquis, Kyohei Fujita and Toots Zynsky, and contemporary ceramics with artists such as Jacqueline Poncelet, Alan Caiger Smith, Alison Britton and Elizabeth Fritsch being represented.