Born in the Swiss Alps, Jean Dunand was one of the most accomplished and multifaceted artists of Art Deco. Perhaps it was his early exposure to his father’s goldsmithing trade that instilled in him the precision and technical mastery that would later define his work. Trained in Geneva and Paris, Dunand’s skills spanned dinanderie, sculpture, and most famously, lacquer—developing a signature style marked by rigor and inventiveness.

His 1912 encounter with the Japanese lacquer artist Seizo Sugawara was a turning point, leading to a lifelong dedication to this technique and the creation of monumental works in eggshell inlay, as well as lacquered panels, vases, and furniture. A tireless innovator, Dunand collaborated with the likes of Ruhlmann and Leleu, and rose to become the undisputed master of Art Deco lacquer—eventually presiding over its section at the 1939 International Exhibition.