At the age of 13, Daniel Brush encountered an ancient Etruscan bowl during a visit to the Victoria and Albert Museum. Captivated by the intricate granulated golden minute spheres adorning the bowl, he felt an immediate fascination with the art of metalwork and precious jewels. In what he later recalled as a pivotal moment, he promised himself that he would one day create something of similar beauty and craftsmanship.

Brush’s artistic journey took several turns before he fulfilled this promise. He started his formal education by pursuing a bachelor of arts in painting from the Carnegie Institute of Technology in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and a master’s degree in fine arts from the University of Southern California in Los Angeles, California. In the 1970s, he accepted a tenured position at Georgetown University where he gained recognition for his large-scale paintings and drawings, inspired by the Japanese Noh theater and abstract art. In 1978, he held a solo show at the Phillips Collection, garnering significant public attention.

Despite this recognition, Brush sought more -- his true identity as an artist. He aspired to a hermitic lifestyle that he deemed instrumental for introspection and reclusive creation. Shortly after the show, he resigned his tenure and left for New York with his wife. Settling in a garment factory in Manhattan, he spent the following decades in seclusion to expand his artistic realm. Shifting from his previous styles, he turned to the art of goldsmithing that he had longed to explore.

Brush acquired a variety of metals to construct conceptual, sculptural and minimalist creations that defy categorization. He devoted countless hours to researching ancient metalsmithing techniques, then devised unique methods to give a new life to conventional metals like gold and steel. Notably, he innovated with blue steel, as exemplified by Lot 1162, heating the metal to precise temperature to achieve a rich, iridescent hue. This technique, typically used for utilitarian purposes, transformed into an unprecedented artistic medium under Brush’s craftsmanship.

Each of Brush’s works was the result of his meditative labor, allowing him to fully immerse himself in the material and technique. The act of crafting itself became a form of introspection, a dialogue between Brush and the medium. The allure of Brush’s pieces lies in its ability to invite the viewers to a similarly contemplative experience, reflecting on the boundless possibilities of the materials.

For over five decades, Brush’s innovations established him as one of the most exclusive and important artists of our time. His creations transcended mere adornment, becoming profound meditations on the materiality and artistic expressions, challenging the traditional notion of jewelry. His pieces were celebrated in international exhibitions and solo retrospectives at leading institutions including the Museum of Arts and Design, the Smithsonian and Van Cleef & Arpels’ L’École. Christie’s is delighted to present Lots 1161 and 1162 that continue Brush’s long lasting legacy, offering an opportunity for collectors to immerse into the artist’s virtuosity.