Jean Dunand (1877 – 1942)
Jean Dunand was a French lacquer, sculptor and interior designer of the Art Deco period.
He appropriated in 1912 the secret lacquer techniques of Asia from the Japanese master lacquer artist Seizo Sugawara whom Eileen Gray had studied under Asian artists and crafstmen have used the resin of lac tree for millennia. Mixed with pigments, it is a traditionnal artistic media in China, Korea and Japan. Lacquer dries to a very hard and smooth surface layer. It is also durable, waterproof and very attractive to feel and look at. Inspired by his sculpting work, Jean Dunand combined the traditional methods of lacquer with geometric patterns. In addition, he used ivory, brown or pale green pigments and materials such as eggshell or gold and silver inlays.
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