Mid-Century Insect-Form Lamp with Agate Body by Jacques Duval-Brasseur

This striking mid-20th-century sculptural lamp is the work of Jacques Duval-Brasseur, a designer known for imaginative objects that blur the boundary between sculpture and functional design. Conceived in the form of a stylized insect, the lamp is crafted in patinated brass and centered by a large, polished agate body, selected for its dramatic natural banding in warm amber and rose tones.
The insect’s elongated antennae and articulated legs are rendered in finely worked metal, demonstrating a high level of artisanal craftsmanship, while cabochon-set hardstone eyes lend the piece a vivid, expressive presence. The careful balance between organic form and decorative abstraction reflects the period’s fascination with nature interpreted through a modernist lens.

This lamp exemplifies the mid-century revival of interest in semi-precious stones used not merely as ornament but as integral structural and visual elements. Works of this type were often produced in small numbers and intended as statement pieces, appealing to collectors drawn to sculptural lighting and imaginative design.

Both whimsical and refined, the lamp stands as an evocative example of mid-century decorative modernism, uniting metalwork, hardstone, and sculptural form in a single expressive object.
Dimensions:
5.5 in. high × 7 in. wide × 17 in. deep