Alicia Peñalba (1913 - 1982) was born in Argentina and later became a French citizen. She studied in Buenos Aires and in 1948 was awarded a scholarship by the French government to study in Paris. She is best known for her sculpted works and while in France was inspired by Matisse, Giacometti, Brancusi and Hans Arp. Her most famous exhibition was "Totems et Tabous" held in 1968 and she has also shown her work in all the cultural centres of the western world. She has worked extensively with bronze, terracotta and cement as well as designing jewellery, carpets and ceramics and these works were shown by the famous Artcurial Gallery in Paris. Her first collection was designed in 1980 and two years later she designed a pendant/brooch called "Swan". Her last creation was a bracelet called "Envol".