Bernard-Albin Gras

French engineer and inventor Bernard-Albin Gras (1886–1943) was a trailblazer of early twentieth-century industrial design. In 1921, he patented the revolutionary Lampe Gras, a modular lighting system engineered for factories, drafting studios, and workshops. His design discarded screws and welded joints in the articulated arms, relying on cast ball-and-socket joints to deliver robust, flexible positioning. The lamp quickly transcended its industrial origins to become a favorite of avant-garde modernists. Architect Le Corbusier embraced its functional simplicity, integrating it into his personal studio and landmark architectural commissions worldwide. Eileen Gray, Robert Mallet-Stevens, and Sonia Delaunay soon followed. Faithfully reissued by French house DCWéditions, the Lampe Gras collection remains a timeless symbol of functionalist aesthetics.