The Alchemist of Art Deco: The Life and Legacy of Jean Dunand In the shimmering, opulent landscape of the early twentieth century, few names evoke the sophisticated grandeur of the Art Deco era quite like Jean Dunand. A true Renaissance man of the decorative arts, Dunand possessed a rare ability to bridge the gap between ancient Eastern traditions and the burgeoning modernism of the West. Born Jules John Dunand on May 20, 1877, in Lancy, Switzerland, his journey was one of constant metamorphosis. The son of a goldsmith, he inherited an early intimacy with precious metals—a foundational eleme…