Jean Dunand was born Jules John Dunand in 1877 in Petit Lancy, Switzerland, the son of a goldsmith whose profession shaped his early exposure to fine materials and craftsmanship. He studied sculpture and decorative arts at the École des Arts Industriels in Geneva before relocating to Paris to further his training. In Paris, he apprenticed under the Art Nouveau sculptor Jean Auguste Dampt, gaining a rigorous grounding in form and modeling. Dunand exhibited sculpture at the 1900 Exposition Universelle, marking his entry into the international art world. During the early years of his career, he focused on metalwork, particularly dinanderie, developing a distinctive approach to hammered copper and brass. His technical experimentation earned institutional recognition when the Musée des Arts Décoratifs acquired one of his works in 1904. He became a regular exhibitor at major Paris salons, positioning himself among the leading decorative artists of his generation. These formative years established both his technical discipline and his openness to innovation.

Dunand’s artistic identity fully emerged after 1912, when he began studying Japanese lacquer techniques under Seizo Sugawara and mastered the complex urushi process. He opened a large lacquer workshop in Paris, employing specialized craftsmen to produce furniture, screens, vessels, and architectural panels. During the 1920s and 1930s he became the foremost lacquer artist of the Art Deco movement, known for combining strict geometry with refined surface treatments. Dunand pioneered the use of crushed eggshell embedded beneath lacquer, creating bold graphic patterns of remarkable depth and precision. His work expanded beyond individual objects to include complete interior schemes and monumental decorative commissions. He collaborated with leading designers such as Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann, Jules Leleu, Pierre Legrain, and Eugène Printz. Prestigious commissions included interiors for luxury ocean liners such as the Île de France, L’Atlantique, and the SS Normandie. Through these works, Dunand helped define the visual language of high French Art Deco.