Joan Kahr - Edgar Brandt: Master of Art Deco Ironwork - 1999

Edgar Brandt: Master of Art Deco Ironwork Content see photo 8. Excellent condition, except for a repaired crack on the fabric cover (see last photo). 232 illustrations, of which 60 are in color. "This is the first book to document the life and work of the leading metal arts maker of the twentieth century. Edgar Brandt (1880-1960) was part of a group of exceptional artist-craftsmen – including Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Jean Puiforcat and Jean Dunand – and played a key role in a period of great flourishing of French decorative arts and design; he created a completely new aesthetic for wrought iron. At the influential Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes of 1925 in Paris, Brandt’s many fences, doors, tables and other pieces – notably the enormous screen L’Oasis, his best-known work – made a strong impression on visitors from around the world. His distinctive language, in which motifs from ancient Egypt and classical antiquity were combined with stylized flora and fauna and machine-inspired geometric forms, embodies the essence of the Art Deco style. He was a virtuoso in the use of diverse materials; he often combined wrought iron with bronze or steel and treated the metals with a patina in a rich spectrum of tones – including gold and silver – to achieve astonishing results. At the height of his career Brandt ran a large workshop and showroom on Boulevard Murat in Paris, as well as a successful gallery where both his own work and that of contemporaries were on view. In addition to private commissions and luxurious interior objects – such as railings, fireplace screens, doors, tables, hearth blocks, bronze vessels and a wide range of lighting fixtures, including his famous snake lamps – Brandt’s workshop produced the wrought work for numerous large-scale projects. Examples include the Grand Théâtre Municipal in Nancy, the passenger ship Paris, the department stores Au Bon Marché in Paris and Algiers, the Mollien staircase in the Louvre, various war memorials in France and the headquarters of textile company Cheney Brothers in the Madison-Belmont Building in New York. Today Brandt’s work is highly sought after by collectors worldwide. Joan Kahr, the leading expert on Brandt, bases her research on extensive interviews with Brandt’s family and former colleagues, as well as on reports from the art and design press of the era. She highlights Brandt’s versatile career as a talented artist, pioneering ironworker, influential designer and successful entrepreneur. She also describes how he combined traditional manual forging with industrial methods and new technologies – such as oxy-acetylene welding, machine hammering and punching – to produce the remarkable objects in his oeuvre. Kahr also explains how Brandt used his technical expertise in the development and production of weapons during both World Wars; a pursuit for which he was honored by the French government. This definitive portrait, richly illustrated with rare historical photographs and beautiful color plates, is a tribute to an artist-craftsman who created enduring works of great beauty. The book is an invaluable resource for collectors and for anyone interested in this fascinating period within applied arts. Carefully packed with trace and insurance for shipment. Success with bidding!!

Estimate:£126.92

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