Marianne Brandt (1893 - 1983) was born in Chemnitz, Germany. Brandt was a painter, sculptor, photographer, and designer who studied at the Bauhaus art school in Weimar under the direction of Hungarian modernist theorist and designer László Moholy-Nagy; she eventually became head of the Bauhaus Metall-Werkstatt (Metal Workshop) in Dessau in 1927. Brandt's minimalist, geometric designs were strongly influenced by the Constructivism and De Stijl art movements. Today, Brandt's designs for objects such as ashtrays, bowls, baskets, and serving pieces are considered timeless examples of modern industrial design - many are produced under license by Alessi.