Jacques Adnet (1900-1984) - Black lacquered metal and brass magazine rack

Jacques Adnet (1900-1984) Black lacquered metal and brass magazine rack. Model with a clenched fist. Brass stars on the front and back, the clenched fist in gilded bronze for grip. Height: 43cm. Length: 28.5cm. Depth: 21cm. Very good condition, wear. *Jacques Adnet was born in 1900 in Châtillon-Coligny, France. On the advice of one of his teachers, he entered the competition for the École des Arts Décoratifs in 1916, where he was admitted, having excelled, along with his twin brother Jean. His teachers included Aubert for decoration and Genuys for architecture; the former's teaching would have a significant impact on Jacques Adnet's future work. As he did not wish to limit himself to theory, after obtaining his diploma, he was employed by decorators Tony Selmersheim and Maurice Dufrène, where he learned the art and technique of furniture making; it was Dufrène he followed when he was appointed director at "La Maîtrise" of the Galeries Lafayette in 1922. At the 1925 International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts, Jacques Adnet and his brother exhibited ceramics at the "La Maîtrise" stand. They received numerous awards, including a gold medal in the furniture category and a silver medal in the ceramics category. In 1927, Jacques Adnet won the Blumenthal Prize. In 1928, Jacques Adnet became the director of the prestigious Compagnie des Arts Français, whose motto is "Evolution in Tradition." The young 28-year-old decorator aimed to give the company a different direction. Even the logo created in 1919 was redesigned in a completely modernist spirit; the tone was set. As a man of his century, Jacques Adnet sought to establish connections between decoration and the new inventions of photography, cinema, electricity, the car, and the airplane. He brought together a remarkable team of painters within his company, including Lurçat, Chagall, Dufy, and Léger, as well as decorators like Charlotte Perriand and Francis Jourdain.