Edgar Brandt: Master of Art Deco Ironwork

Edgar Brandt: Master of Art Deco Ironwork is the first book to document the life and work of the premier metalsmith of the twentieth century. A member of a group of extraordinary artist-craftsmen that included Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Jean Puiforcat, and Jean Dunand, among others, Edgar Brandt (1880-1960) was a leading force during a period of great achievement in French decorative arts and design, creating an entirely new aesthetic for the medium of wrought iron.

At the seminal 1925 Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, Brandt's numerous gates, doors, tables, and other pieces—notably the enormous screen L'Oasis, his most famous work— dazzled visitors from all over the world. Combining motifs from ancient Egyptian and classical Greek sources, stylized flora and fauna, and machine-inspired geometric forms, Brandt's signature vocabulary epitomizes the Art Deco style. He was a virtuoso at using several materials, often combining wrought iron with bronze or steel, and patinating the metals in a rich variety of tones, including gold and silver, to achieve stunning results.

At the height of his career, Brandt operated a large atelier and showroom at tor Boulevard Murat in Paris and ran a successful gallery that featured his own work as well as that of his contemporaries. In addition to private commissions and lines of luxury items for the home-grilles, fire screens, doors, tables, andirons, bronze vessels, and a wide array of lighting fixtures, including his well-known serpent lamps-the Brandt atelier executed the ironwork for numerous large-scale projects, such as the Grand Théâtre Municipal in Nancy, the ocean liner Paris, the Au Bon Marché department stores in Paris and Algiers, the Mollien staircase at the Louvre, several war memorials in France, and the headquarters of the Cheney Brothers textile company at the Madison-Belmont Building in New York. Today, Brandt's work is sought after by collectors throughout the world.

Joan Kahr, the leading authority on Brandt, draws on extensive interviews with Brandt's family and former colleagues as well as period accounts culled from the art and design press of the day. She explores Brandt's multifaceted career as a talented artist, pioneering ironsmith, influential designer, and successful entrepreneur, detailing how he fused traditional hand forging with industrial methods and new technology—such as oxy-acetylene welding, power hammering, and die stamping-to make the incomparable objects in his repertoire. Kahr also recounts how Brandt applied his technical expertise to the invention and production of armaments during both World Wars, an endeavor for which he was honored by the French government. Handsomely illustrated with rare period photographs and stunning color plates, this definitive portrait celebrates an artist-craftsman who created lasting works of great beauty, providing an invaluable resource for collectors and all who are interested in this fascinating period in the decorative arts.