Art Deco

Definition and Origins of Art Deco

• Art Deco is a style of visual arts, architecture, and product design that originated in Paris in the 1910s.
• It flourished in the United States and Europe during the 1920s to early 1930s.
• Art Deco influenced the design of bridges, buildings, ships, furniture, and everyday objects.
• It combined elements of Modernist avant-garde, French historic design, and non-Western motifs.
• The movement represented luxury, glamour, and faith in social and technological progress.
• Art Deco got its name from the 1925 Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes held in Paris.
• The term 'arts décoratifs' was first used in France in 1858.
• The emergence of Art Deco was closely connected with the rise in status of decorative artists.
• The Société des artistes décorateurs (Society of Decorative Artists) was founded in 1901.
• French nationalism played a part in the resurgence of decorative arts.

International Influence and Legacy of Art Deco

• Art Deco was a truly international style.
• The movement's dominance ended with the beginning of World War II.
• The Empire State Building, Chrysler Building, and other buildings in New York City are examples of Art Deco architecture.
• The style gradually became more subdued during the Great Depression, leading to the development of Streamline Moderne.
• New materials like chrome plating, stainless steel, and plastic were introduced in the 1930s.
• The term 'art déco' did not appear in print until 1966.
• It was first used in the title of an exhibition held by the Museum of Decorative Arts in Paris.
• The term gained currency in 1968 when historian Bevis Hillier published a major academic book on Art Deco.
• In its time, Art Deco was also referred to as 'style moderne,' 'modernistic,' and 'style contemporain.'
• It was not recognized as a distinct and homogenous style until later.
• Art Deco represented a shift towards functional and unadorned styles of modern architecture.
• The International Style and Mid-century modern followed the decline of Art Deco.
• The style is associated with luxury materials, exquisite craftsmanship, and the idea of progress.
• Art Deco influenced various industries, including fashion, jewelry, and interior design.
• Today, Art Deco is recognized as an important and influential art movement.

Vienna Secession and Wiener Werkstätte Influence

• Architects of Vienna Secession, especially Josef Hoffmann, influenced Art Deco.
• Stoclet Palace in Brussels by Josef Hoffmann was a prototype of Art Deco style.
• Wiener Werkstätte, founded by Hoffmann, was an association of craftsmen and designers.
• Compagnie des arts français, created in 1919, brought together leading French Art Deco designers.
• Notable buildings: Secession Building in Vienna, Church of St. Leopold in Vienna, Austrian Postal Savings Bank in Vienna, Stoclet Palace in Brussels.

Influence of New Materials and Technologies

• Reinforced concrete was key to the development of Art Deco.
• Auguste Perret pioneered the use of reinforced concrete in buildings.
• Perret also used ceramic tiles for protection and decoration.
• Plate glass and aluminum were new technologies used in Art Deco.
• These materials allowed for larger windows and lightweight furniture.
• Théâtre des Champs-Élysées by Auguste Perret was the first landmark Art Deco building in Paris.
• Perret's building had clean rectangular form, geometric decoration, and straight lines.
• The theatre's décor included high reliefs, dome, paintings, and an Art Deco curtain.
• It became a venue for Ballets Russes performances.
• Auguste Perret and Henri Sauvage became leading Art Deco architects in Paris.

Influences on Art Deco and Decorative Elements

• Cubism had an important influence on Art Deco.
• Cubist designs were showcased at the 1912 Salon d'Automne.
• Geometric forms of Cubism were incorporated into Art Deco architecture and sculpture.
• Cubist artists like Picasso and Csaky contributed to the development of Art Deco.
• Cubism became a common language for decorative artists during the Art Deco era.
• Paul Cézanne's influence on simplification of forms.
• Section d'Or artists' more accessible works in 1912.
• André Vera's rejection of Art Nouveau forms.
• La Maison Cubiste architectural installation.
• Cubist influence on Art Deco.
• Ballets Russes influences.
• Rococo style and its influences.
• Beaux Arts architecture and its influences.
• Louis XVI style and its influences.
• Neoclassical style and its influences.
• Ancient Egyptian art and its influences.
• Mesopotamian art and its influences.
• Pre-Columbian art and its influences.
• Sub-Saharan African art and its influences.
• Geometric elements and forms in Art Deco.
• Reinforced-concrete buildings and the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées.
• Lotus flowers as a decorative motif.
• Ziggurat of Ur and its influences.
• Mayan art and its influences.
• Art Nouveau and its influences on Art Deco.
• Western Union Building and its Mesopotamian influences.
• Interior detail of 450 Sutter Street and its Pre-Columbian influences.
• Sub-Saharan African influences on Art Deco.
• Mascaron for a fountain by Henri Navarre.
• Primitivism, Futurism, Orphism, Functionalism, and Modernism influenced Art Deco.
• Sonia Delaunay created dress models in an abstract and geometric style.
• Louis Barrilet designed Cubist-like stained-glass windows.
• Art Deco borrowed from Fauvism, featuring clashing colors and designs

Art Deco Data Sources