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An Introduction To Art Deco

Art Deco was born between 1908-1912 and grew between the First World War and 1930. It is not possible to define in terms of a set era, it developed and flourished over four decades.

Art Deco style has diverse influences, from abstract to Cubism, from floral to geometric designs and from Russia to Africa to the Orient. It’s influences are so diverse that it was a struggle to find a single word or phrase to accurately describe it. The description “Art Deco” was not coined until the 1960’s.

Like it’s cousin Art Nouveau, “Art Deco” flourished first in France where it was extravagant and colourful. Later it extended over the rest of Europe and over to the United States where functionality and economy were the order of the day. This element of Art Deco came to be known as Modernism.

Modernists believed that decorative art and excellent design should be widely available to all and not reserved solely for the wealthy. Quality and mass production did not have to be mutually exclusive. An objects finest beauty lay in the adaptation of its usage.

As machinery became more commonplace in the 1920’s the concept of beauty as defined by craftsmen and artisans with hand tools shifted. This was the first time that the straight line became a source of beauty and basis for design.

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