Edgar Brandt

EDGAR BRANDT (France, 1880–1960).
Wrought-iron lamp, ca. 1930.
4 arms. 12 lights.
Signed.
Work published in “Art Deco Decorative Ironwork,” by Henri Cluzot, p. 13, ref. 1.
Measurements: 76 cm (height) x 100 cm (diameter).

Brandt was one of the great innovators of French artistic ironwork and one of the most prominent figures of Art Deco. His international reputation was cemented following his participation in the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris, a pivotal event for the international dissemination of the new style. During the 1920s and 1930s, his studio produced wrought-iron furniture, lighting fixtures, and architectural elements, gaining considerable international influence. The Metropolitan Museum also holds numerous lighting designs by Brandt and his workshop, including specific designs for ceiling lamps, a testament to the significance of this type of piece within his body of work.

Monumental in character and with a pronounced sculptural presence, the lamp being auctioned is a remarkable example of Edgar Brandt’s mastery of artistic ironwork during the Art Deco period. The composition is organized around a profusely ornamented central cylindrical shaft, from which elegantly curved arms extend, enriched with stylized plant motifs and openwork elements. The twelve lights, arranged radially, reinforce the symmetry and architectural balance of the piece, while the treatment of the metal surfaces demonstrates Brandt’s ability to transform a material traditionally associated with architecture into a highly sophisticated decorative object.

A French metalworker, Edgar Brandt was one of the most important iron artisans of the French Art Deco period, making the leap to the international stage and expanding his fame worldwide. He created railings and lamps for numerous private homes and hotels; he also received public commissions, such as the World War I memorial. Brandt exhibited at the annual Salons, where he presented a wide variety of non-architectural metal objects, including railings, radiator covers, lamps, and consoles. The 1925 Exposition provided Brandt with numerous opportunities to showcase his work, beginning with the imposing entrance to the Exposition, the Porte d’Honneur. He always had a knack for combining materials: generally wrought iron and bronze, but also gilded copper and, later, steel, aluminum, or the “Studal” alloy. Raymond Subes was one of his followers.