There have always been, and always will be, ironmongers whose technique remains unchanged, despite styles and eras, whether it’s the grille of a 13th-century cloister or a Louis XVI door.A piece of ironwork is first drawn as a whole in reduction, then each detail is reproduced in life size on a sheet of metal. The piece in its raw state is red-hot, then worked on the anvil where the hammer gradually gives it the desired shape. The artist’s inspiration remains subject to the imperatives of the technique. Each piece must be forged with great precision so that it can be assembled with other pieces, which must themselves fit harmoniously into the whole. Apart from a certain dexterity, all this requires a great deal of creative ability, a certain artistic culture, and a somewhat… diabolical skill.