JACQUES ADNET
THE BIOGRAPHY OF JACQUES ADNET
Jacques Adnet was born on April 20 1900, in Chatillon-Coligny, France. He was a luxurious French Modernist interior designer and architect. He was known for his distinctly Art Deco creations. He was quite famous for his mirrors, tables, and lamp. He used clean lines and simple forms of an unadorned Art Deco style, which was subsequently rendered in wood, glass, and metal. Jacques Adnet attended the Municipal school of design in Auxerre and studied Architecture under Charles Louis Genuys at the Ecole des Arts Decoratifs in 1916. He worked with his twin brother Jean Adnet and later founded the company J.J Adnet with his brother Jean. They both exhibited works of Arts at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et industreils Modernes in 1925 and this is where the term “Art Deco” was first coined. He received critical acclaim at the Salon D’ Automne and Les Expositions des Arts Decoratifs, where he was recognised as an exciting emerging designer.
Jacques Adnet believed in the functional aspect of furniture combined with geometrical simplicity. He was inspired by pre-classical styles and was well acquitted with traditional furniture. He lived and worked with his twin brother until he was 28 years old. They both worked at the studio La Maitrise, where they met the Art Deco designer Maurice Dufrene. He created a revolution in furniture designs when he began to use metals and glass in his work. He was the director of La Compagnie des Arts Francais from 1928 to 1960. Although its original purpose was to promote the use of traditional furniture forms in the modern day, when Adnet took over and became the director, he rejected that idea. And he used the company to promote and display his modernistic, avant-garde designs. He used simple and elegant forms in his works, and he emphasized on function more than anything else. His major materials were brushed metals, leather, and precious wood. In 1926, he designed the salle commune of the lle de France. Throughout the 1920’s and 1930’s, he collaborated with various designers such as Francois Jourdain, Charllote Perriand, and Georges Jouve and this enabled him to receive numerous awards and recognition. Due to his popularity and achievements, he became the President of the Salon des Artistes Decorateurs in 1948 and left the position the following year. Jacques Adnet also worked with reputable firms such as Hermes where he designed leather covered furniture for the firm and developed a signature style in the process and this continued till the 1950’s.
Throughout the 1950’s, he concentrated on making furniture and created lots of decorations for the homes of some famous people, and this includes the very popular Frank Jay Gould’s home and several other luxury yachts. He was regarded as a creative genius during his time because he could practically create a masterpiece design of furniture from virtually nothing. He lived a legacy in the industry for other inspiring designers to follow in his steps.
He died in Paris in 1984.
