Style Art Nouveau / Ref.14039

Paul-Louis BRINDEAU DE JARNY (1858 - 1939) : Chandelier with plane tree leaves

Copper

Exhibitions: First Salon des Artistes Decorateurs, 1904, No. 33.

Bibliography: Society of Decorative Artists, the first Exhibition of Decorative Art, Illustrated Catalogue, p. 61, No. 33. Riotor Leon, 'The art at the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs', in The Decorative Art, the first half of 1904, reproduced p. 104. Maciet album, Lights, lamps and suspensions, nineteenth century, various countries A-Z, Library Decorative Arts, Call number: Maciet 254/6, reproduced np Alastair Duncan, The Paris Salons, 1895-1914, Volume V: Works of Art & Metalware, reproduced p. 149. 

This large chandelier in a square form shows the leaves of plane tree lined with catkins. Each plane tree leaf is represented in a very realistic manner, which is particularly difficult to achieve with this copper material. The work here is more like a sculpture and carving of the ironwork, which proves the great artistic quality of Paul Brindeau Jarny. Four copper rods support the branches and bulbs, placed at the ends. A fifth bulb is placed in the center of the chandelier. Originally, this chandelier, already adapted to electricity, had eleven light bulbs, with two by two at the ends of rods and three in the center. This chandelier was slightly modified from its original appearance, likely in order to be adapted to modern electricity.

PAUL-LOUIS DE BRINDEAU JARNY

(1858 -1939)

The presence of the signature of Paul Brindeau Jarny, on a plane tree leaf, allows us to attribute the production of this chandelier. Born in Champs-sur-Marne in 1858, he was widely renowned in France and abroad during his life. Jeweler, designer and craftsman especially in wrought iron, he lived in Paris, where he had different addresses throughout his career (13 Boulevard Beaumarchais, Paris 4th in 1901, 3, rue Mont-Louis, Paris 13th in 1902). At the 1900 World's Fair, a collection of his work was purchased by the Museum of Arts and Crafts in Zurich, which proves his success. In The Journal of Decorative Arts in January 1902, Leon Riotor wrote about him: 'Paul-Louis Brindeau practices a simple art, but with elegant lines, and a happy expression. A small hammer, a vise, scissors, wire, rods and sheets of light copper, and from his hands emerge lamps, coats of arms, coat hooks, hinges, door handles, buckles, buttons and rosettes of marvelous outcome. It is a sort of jewelry-like furniture, base metal, without stones or enamels, but it's jewelry with forms particularly appropriate for its use. (...) But Brindeau distanced himself from a difficult labor that required special workers, and he said that the artist had to produce by himself, with his fingers, without any help. (...) He declined to be a team manager of numerous copies of works outlined on paper. We see here how Brindeau de Jarny was different from other blacksmiths of his day: he worked alone, which was rare in a notoriously difficult profession.

This chandelier was presented at the first Salon des Artistes Decorateurs in 1904: 'In this first exposition metalwork reigned. What did Paul Brindeau say, an artist with powerful and simple skill, all coming from his hands? 'To work as an artist, you must conduct your own work.' His cyclamen lamp and plane tree leaved ceiling chandelier were genuine attempts. His letter-openers, furniture handles, hooks, hinges, coats of arms, it should all be noted.' (Riotor Leon, “Les objets d’art au Salon des Artistes Décorateurs,”  in L’art Décoratif, 1er semestre 1904, p. 101-102).

At the Exhibition of wrought iron, copper and tin in 1905 at the Musée Galliera, Brindeau presented a plane tree frieze in copper, with a technique very similar to the chandelier that we show here. It was shown in numerous exhibitions of decorative art, including early twentieth century: In 1908, he presented clasps and belt buckles at the Galliera Museum. He was also displayed at the Salons of the Societe Nationale des Beaux-Arts from 1901 to 1911. At the exhibition of Nancy in 1909, he exhibited in the Decorative Arts section. On this occasion, a hinge in forged copper was acquired for the Museum of Nancy. It was also shown in various Salons d'Automne in Paris. He exhibited at the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs of 1914, 1919, 1920, 1924 and 1932, what appears to be the last date on which he exhibited, before dying in Paris in 1939.