With so many learned articles already ready written about him, AnIntroduction to Edgar Brandt is just that. Think about Art Deco and no doubt an iconic image will come to mind – the Fountain. And though he regularly used variations of this motif, one of the most enduring is the Oasis Screen.
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Oasis Screen – Edgar Brandt, 1924 (photo via artnet.com)
Fire screen (photo via artsmia.org)
Interior doors, circa 1925 (photo via Christies.com)
William Edgar Brandt was born to Charles Eugène Frédéric Brandt and Besty Emma Bas in Paris, France, 1880. He and his brother, Jules, studied at the Vierzon National Vocational School from 1894 to 1898. But later, while serving in the military, young Brandt recognized the lack of light and versatile long-range munitions.
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In 1902, Edgar, established his first business specializing in iron work and light weapons. And in 1918, he received a Salon prize for his contribution to the war effort. Then, after WWI he was commissioned to design and execute the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier under the Paris Arc de Triomphe.
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Tomb of the Unknown Soldier (photo via Artu.fr)
Never shy to collaborate with other artists, he co-produced beautiful chandeliers and lamps with Daum Freres. And as was the “look” of the day, many in the Art Nouveau style. He established himself by incorporating Bronze finishes and often incorporated a floral motif. And by the age of 29, the Ate et Decoration recognized him as a rising star in metalwork.
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By 1924, his company started to produce wrought iron works including grills, gate-ways elevator doors and more. Eventually, household appliances followed. Including lamp bases, screens and chairs. And it was also here that the company produced heavier weapons.
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L’Âge d’Or – 1923 (photo via phillips.com)
Table lamp circa 1925 (photo via Calderwoodgallery,com)
Table lamp detail (photo via Calderwoodgallery,com)
Detail of screen – Edgar Brandt (photo via Pinterest)
In 1925, Edgar Brandt was asked to participate in the now famous l’Exposition internationale des Arts décoratifs. He received a commission to create the gates to the entrance hall of the Salon d’Ambassade Francais. And many other works, too. Collaborating with Daum and Lalique company, his exhibit included artistic ironwork, furniture, decorative objects, sculptures and lights.
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Brandt-Daum Freres Chandelier circa 1925 (photo via Christies.com)
Of note was his “Perse” door created in 1923 and part of his installation. The door was purchased in 1924 by The Metropolitan Museum in New York. Due to copyright limitations, I have included a link here for you to view it.
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Pelican Bookends (photo via 1930.fr)
Cobra Andirons (photo via artsy,net)
With this success, Edgar expanded from his showroom in Paris.
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Opéra de Reims – Edgar Brandt chandelier (photo via Wikipedia))
Chandelier detail (photo via thousandwonders.net)
And his second showroom opened in England. Thereafter, he opened “Ferro Brandt” in New York City, New York. This showroom included works from the greatest North American Art Deco designers of the day.
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If you are in New York, you can see a number of his work adorning the façade of buildings. One such building is The Madison Belmont Building, also known as 183 Madison Avenue built in 1924-1925. It showcases Brandt’s doors and decorative grillwork.
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Madison Belmont Building (photo via Benjamin Marcus Architect LLC – Facebook)
34th St entrance to the Madison Belmont Building (photo via reddit.com
And doors for an apartment building at 320 East 57th Street.
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Doors by Edgar Brandt (photo via streeteasy.com)
320 E 57th St (photo via streeteasy.com)
The company nationalized in 1936 and Edgar used the profits to acquire several additional mechanical companies. Here, they continued to produced heavy armament such as 60mm, 81mm and 120mm mortars originally used throughout World War I. And later, these same armaments were utilized throughout World War II.
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Edgar Brandt remained popular throughout his life times. And especially for the rich and famous who could appreciate and afford his craftsmanship.
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If you want to be part of this elite group, you can snatch up these classic doors for the asking price of a cool $82,926.00!
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Antelope doors (photo via eBay)
He made invaluable contributions to both country and the arts. Therefore receiving such prestigious awards as Knight of the Legion of Honor, and the Medal of Honor for Applied Art by the Societe des Artistes Francais.
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In 1939, he retired to Switzerland and died in Geneva in 1960.
The main entrance to the Brooklyn Museum on Eastern Parkway. Photo by Virginia Rollison from Timeout.com
The Brooklyn Museum, in its namesake borough of New York City, is a must destination for anyone with an interest in Art Deco. The museum’s collection encompasses many areas, but its decorative arts section is truly fantastic. Chris and I did visit the museum back 2016 and will revisit again once the pandemic is behind us. But the museum is currently open to visitors with reduced hours and limited number of admissions. Before visiting please check their website for their guidelines.
The Brooklyn Museum antecedents date back to 1823. The famed architectural firm of McKim, Mead and White designed the neoclassical building for the museum’s permanent home in the Park Slope section of the borough. Construction took place in stages between 1895 and 1927, with the museum doors opening in 1897. The museum is New York City’s third largest and holds over 1.5 million works in its collection. And the breadth of the their catalog is enormous. It embodies the artistic heritage of world cultures. It ranges from Egyptian and African art through works from the 17th, 18th, 19th, 20th and 21st centuries and disciplines from painting, sculptures and decorative arts. And the Brooklyn Museum’s collection of Art Deco and Modernist pieces is one of the best anywhere.
Museum of Arts and Science (Brooklyn Institute of Arts and Sciences; Brooklyn Museum), Brooklyn, New York, New York, 1910. (Photo by Geo. P. Hall & Son/The New York Historical Society/Getty Images)
The Williamsburg Murals
One of the major pieces of modernist art in the collection of the Brooklyn Museum are the Williamsburg Murals. During the mid-1930s, New York City Mayor Fiorello LaGuardia began a campaign to remove slum housing. Replacing them were new, low rent apartments having lots of natural light, green spaces and community rooms. One of the first of these projects, the Williamsburg Houses, was built between 1936 and 1937.
Williamsburg Houses street frontage. Photo by Nyholm, from Architectural Forum, May, 1938.
Open green space at the Williamsburg Houses. Photo by Nyholm from Architectural Forum, May, 1938.
Architect William Lezcase (1896 – 1969) wanted art work to be part of the basement community rooms. Commissioning artists through the WPA’s Federal Art Project four individuals created the works for these spaces. But these are very unlike the usual WPA murals going up concurrently in Post Offices across the United States. Unlike the local history theme of most WPA murals these are bold and abstract, reminiscent of Bauhaus art. The commission for these works went to four American abstract artists, Ilya Bolotowsky, Balcomb Greene, Paul Kelpe and Albert Swinden. These were the first public murals of this kind in the United States.
Untitled, oil on canvas. Williamsburg Mural by Albert Swinden, circa, 1939. Image from brooklynmuseum.org.
As the years passed the community rooms became offices or storage spaces and the murals suffering from neglect were painted over. Their rediscovery beginning in the late 1980s is an amazing story of art restoration. These murals on now on loan to the Brooklyn Museum from the New York City Housing Authority.
Untitled by Iyla Bolotowsky on display at the Brooklyn Museum. Image from tru-vue.com.
Below are a few of the great objects in the museum’s collection. Some of these pieces are on display in the Decorative Arts section on the fourth floor. While other not currently on exhibition are viewable in the Luce Visible Storage and Study Center on the fifth floor.
Ronson Touch-Tip
Louis V. Aronson. Cigarette Lighter, “Ronson Touch-Tip,” ca. 1935. Chrome and black-enameled metal, 3 3/8 x 4 3/8 x 2 1/4 in. (8.6 x 11.1 x 5.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of David A. Hanks.
Catalog Description
“Ronson Touch-Tip” model, streamlined, tugboat shaped tabletop lighter (a) with wick holder (b). Flat chrome-plated base rounded at one end, square at the other end. Incised all around with two parallel bands painted black. Chrome-plated turret-like top rounded on one side. Side elevation of top is quarter round curved down in back to meet base. All the vertical planes of the top are painted black. Three parallel chrome bands curve around the sides of the front extending about 1/3 of the length. On the horizontal plane at very top are a knob (b) attached to a flint that fits into hole and a finger depressor to activate mechanism.
Polaroid Desk Lamp Model #114
Walter Dorwin Teague (American, 1883-1960). Desk Lamp, Model #114, ca. 1939. Aluminum, plastic, 12 3/4 x 11 1/2 x 10 1/4 in. (32.4 x 29.2 x 26 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund.
Catalog Description
Desk lamp, Model #114. Low, hemispherical brown plastic (bakelite?) base with a cylindrical metal switch at the front and the lamp stem at the rear; wire cord attached through bottom rear of base. Stem is an aluminum cone tapering out from bottom, rising at a slight angle; four vertical slots at bottom rear of stem. Top of the stem is an irregularly shaped half circle punctured with circles and four screws with plastic heads that attach to the shade. Brown plastic shade in general shape of three-dimensional isosceles trapezoid with basically straight sides but rounded on all edges, and widest at the front. Shade slopes downward on top toward the front. Center of shade is slightly raised with four slots for ventilation along the rear and two on each side of the raised section. Interior of shade is spray-painted white and has two metal reflectors, curved one at back and flat one on inside top; underside covered with a thin, soft piece of green or brown plastic, held in place by a wire frame (intended to produce glare-free light).
E & J Bass Company Cocktail Glasses and Ice Bucket
Elsa Tennhardt (American, born Germany, 1899-1980). Stem Glass, Part of Five-piece Set, Patented 1928. Silver-plated brass, 4 7/8 x 2 3/4 x 2 3/4 in. (12.4 x 7 x 7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Designated Purchase Fund.
Catalog Description
Cocktail glass on stem, silver-plated brass; part of a set with ice bucket, stem glasses, and salt and peppershakers. Glass has triangular base and irregularly shaped, curving stem that supports inverted cone-shaped bowl with three applied, triangular decorative motifs.
Russel Wright Coffee Urn
Russel Wright (American, 1904-1976). Coffee Urn, ca. 1935. Spun aluminum and walnut, 16 x 13 x 8 1/4 in. (40.6 x 33.0 x 21.0 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Paul F. Walter.
Catalog Description
Coffee Urn. Spun aluminum, wood. Spherical form on cylindrical stand. Spherical wood knobs on metal cylinders for handles, final, and pourer. Narrow cylindrical spout at base of sphere. Metal percolator basket with lid in interior.
Air King Radio
John Gordon Rideout (American, 1898-1951). Radio, 1930-1933. Plaskon (plastic), metal, glass, 11 3/4 x 8 7/8 x 7 1/2 in. (29.8 x 22.5 x 19.1 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Purchased with funds given by The Walter Foundation.
Catalog Description
Radio, plastic case with metal and glass parts. Rectangular, box-like form of light green plastic with two narrow steps attached to each side. The front decorated with series of seven vertical striations from top to bottom, and four horizontal ones near base. Black on/off and volume buttons to right and left near base and large green tuning knob at center of face. Near top is metal (brass?) plaque showing a male and a female figure in ancient dress placing their hands in middle of abstracted symbol (for radio wave?).
Revere Normandie Pitcher
Peter Muller-Munk (American, born Germany, 1904-1967). “Normandie” Pitcher, ca. 1935. Chrome-plated brass, 12 x 3 x 9 1/2 in. (30.5 x 7.6 x 24.3 cm). Brooklyn Museum, H. Randolph Lever Fund.
Catalog Description
“Normandie” pitcher of chrome-plated brass. Streamlined, in plan, a teardrop shape with a flat, strap handle curving out from lip of rounded rear side of pitcher, and down to same rounded side of base. Body of pitcher comes to a point at front end, forming a straight line running from pouring spout to base. Top of pitcher dramatically raking up from handle at rear to point of pouring spout.
Weil-Worgelt Study
The extent of the change in 1930s modernism in less than a decade is seen to best advantage by a comparison of the Williamsburg Murals to the Weil-Worgelt Study of 1930. The biomorphic forms of the murals would soon become a popular furniture trend starting in the late 1930s. While the study is an excellent of the pure early style of French modernism of the 1920s.
Alavoine of Paris and New York. Weil-Worgelt Study, ca. 1928-1930. Lacquer, glass, leather, veneered panels, 119 x 201 1/2 x 176 1/4 in. (302.3 x 511.8 x 447.7 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Raymond Worgelt,
Catalog Description
Designed by the New York office of the Parisian decorating firm Alavoine, this elegant study, made for an elite client, was a conservative interpretation of the Art Deco style; this can be seen in the geometric paneling of palisander and olive wood veneers and the large abstract lacquer panel, designed by Henri Redard and executed by Jean Dunand. A small, concealed bar, with etched glass walls that salute France, is hidden in the corner in defiance of Prohibition, which forbade alcohol consumption in the United States from 1919 to 1933. Interestingly, while this room was furnished in the Art Deco style, the public rooms in the rest of the Worgelt apartment were furnished in a more conservative French eighteenth-century-revival style.
Detail: Concealed bar, showing etched glass panel with stylized Parisian landmarks.
Detail of the abstract lacquered panel designed by Henri Redard and executed by Jean Dunand.
So if you love Art Deco and / or Modernism and you find yourself in Brooklyn, stop in at the Brooklyn Museum, you’re sure to enjoy your visit.
