Jacques Adnet, mid-century lighting

Jacques Adnet (1900-1984) was one of the most celebrated French furniture designers of the 20th century. He is known for his elegant and innovative designs, which incorporated industrial materials such as metal and glass, along with exotic woods and finishes such as parchment and sharkskin.

Adnet began his career in the heyday of the Art Deco era, and in the 1950s, in association with Hermès, created chairs, lamps, desks and other pieces that employed slender metal frames clad in stitched saddle leather.

In 1928, at the age of 28, Adnet took charge of the struggling La Compagnie des Arts Français (CAF), a decorative-arts firm founded by Louis Süe and André Mare. CAF provided Adnet with an ideal platform from which to promote his modernist designs.

Under Adnet's leadership, CAF quickly became one of the leading producers of modern furniture in France. Adnet's designs were characterized by more... their simple, unadorned lines and their use of high-quality materials. He was also one of the first designers to use industrial materials such as metal and glass in his furniture.

Adnet's designs were highly popular with both critics and the public alike. He received numerous commissions from wealthy patrons and corporations, and his work was featured in many prestigious exhibitions, including the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris.

In the 1950s, Adnet began a collaboration with the luxury goods company Hermès. Together, they created a line of furniture that was both elegant and functional. Adnet's designs for Hermès featured slender metal frames clad in stitched saddle leather. These pieces are still highly sought-after today by collectors and designers alike.

Adnet continued to design furniture until his retirement in the 1970s. He also served as the director of the École Nationale Supérieure des Arts Décoratifs in Paris from 1959 to 1970.

Adnet's work is represented in many major museums around the world, including the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York and the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. less...