Bookends attributed to Jacques Adnet

Pair of Art Deco bookends attributed to JACQUES ADNET (France, 1900–1984).
Chrome-plated metal and solid glass spheres.
Signed.
In very good condition.
Measurements: 16.7 x 11.5 x 6.8 cm.

The sculptural power and geometric minimalism that characterize this pair of bookends defined the style of Jacques Adnet, to whom these splendid design pieces are attributed. The three transparent spheres are arranged by size, stacked on the vertical arm of the L-shaped stand, embodying a personal interpretation of Art Deco.

Jacques Adnet trained at the Municipal School of Design in Auxerre and at the École des Beaux-Arts in Paris. He emphasized the functional aspect of furniture combined with geometric simplicity and drew inspiration from pre-classical styles, having a deep understanding of traditional furniture. From 1928 to 1960, he directed the Compagnie des Arts Français. His team of interior designers included François Jourdain, Charlotte Perriand, and Georges Jouve. Adnet served as president of the Salon des Artistes Décorateurs from 1947 to 1949. During the 1950s, he designed furniture and focused on the numerous commissions he received, such as the decoration of the President’s private apartments at the Élysée Palace and the conference room at UNESCO headquarters in Paris. In 1959, he was appointed director of the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs in Paris, a position he held until 1970. Adnet exhibited at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes. Clearly an avant-garde figure, Adnet was one of the first to envision the integration of metal and glass into the structure and decoration of furniture. In 1970, Adnet was appointed director of the École nationale supérieure des arts décoratifs.