JEAN DUNAND | LOW TABLE

Acquired directly from the artist by the original owner, circa 1926-1927

Thence by descent

Christie's Paris, November 26, 2010, lot 10

Jean Dunand, Jean Goulden, exh. cat., Galerie du Luxembourg, Paris, 1972, p. 10 (for a related model)

Félix Marcilhac, Jean Dunand: His Life and Works, London, 1991, p. 247, no. 435 (for a related model) 

The role that the present lot played in shaping the Marc Jacobs beauty line is a testament to Jean Dunand’s mastery of the technique of lacquer, of which this coffee table is a superior example. This rare piece represents the perfect expression of his vision through the use of glistening black lacquer and elegant, geometric proportions. Dunand always took extreme care in applying various layers of natural and clay-based lacquer of increasingly fine texture, which were then minutely applied on the piece, resulting in a completely smooth texture that typically took up to four days to dry. The result, as exemplified here, is an exceptional impression of depth and interplay of light.