Art Deco

The eclectic Art Deco design movement, known for its classical, symmetrical, rectilinear style, was seen as a way to celebrate the modern machine age and industrialization. Art Deco influenced all areas of design, from architecture, art, and sculpture to interior design, fashion, and film. Today its influences in the United States can be seen in the architecture of New York’s Chrysler Building, Empire State Building, and Rockefeller Center, and San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge.

Art Deco was the primary modernist decorative style of the 1920s and 1930s, touching every aspect of popular life and culture. It originated with the International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts in Paris in 1925, though the term (from the French arts décoratifs) was not popularized until the late 1960s. Characterized by pieces decorated with colorful geometric shapes, lithe female forms, and stylized depictions of flowers, animals, and technology, the movement was seen as a reaction against the World War I years and a celebration of the modern industrial age.

The Art Deco movement has its roots in Art Nouveau, a complicated European style emphasizing curvilinear and floral motifs popular at the turn of the twentieth century. While Art Nouveau styling was often complex and intricate, Art Deco returned to a simpler form based on modern, clean lines. Although Art Deco initially emphasized luxury, relying on materials such as jade and ivory, this would later change; as the style matured and grew in popularity, artists came to favor less expensive materials such as ceramic, glass, and Bakelite, an early form of plastic. True to their machine-age heritage, many Art Deco pieces were also characterized by the use of materials such as aluminum and stainless steel.

Themes

Art Deco began as a reflection of society in the 1920s and remained popular throughout the following decade. Influences were abundant as society was transformed by discoveries in science and archaeology (revealing ancient design styles), as well as an increasingly international marketplace.

Egyptian influence was prominent in Art Deco styling, especially in decorative arts and jewelry, where scarabs, hieroglyphs, pyramid shapes, and Egyptian colors were often utilized. The Egyptian motif was borrowed by architects in the construction of doorways, entrances, and theaters, and by sculptors who incorporated Sphinx cats, bronzed Egyptian figurines, and statues of Cleopatra into their work. Sub-Saharan Africa also provided inspiration: Large tropical leaf patterns were popular in clothing and graphic arts, and animal skins were often used as upholstery, rugs, and cabinet coverings. Sculptures and masks of the French Congo influenced the colors and design of textiles and graphic arts.

Native American themes were fashionable as well. As archaeologists investigated the ancient civilizations of Mexico City and the Yucatán, including Tenochtitlan and Chichén Itzá, these influences began to show up in jewelry, furniture design, and sculpture. Central American materials such as obsidian, onyx, rock crystal, and jade became popular among jewelry makers. Furniture design incorporated the shapes of Mesoamerican stepped pyramids, and Frank Lloyd Wright was among those who worked in the Mayan revival architecture style.

Architecture

The extravagance of Art Deco architecture was often used to convey the opulence and power of business and corporate entities in the 1920s. In Hollywood culture, Art Deco stood for wealth, status, and glamour.

The style was also utilized by architects in the design of modern skyscrapers and bridges. The Chrysler Building in New York is one of the better-known examples of 1920s-era Art Deco architecture; its spire features a series of sunbursts, a popular Art Deco motif, and the building’s gargoyles were modeled after Chrysler Plymouth hood ornaments. The Empire State Building, named by the American Society of Civil Engineers as one of the seven wonders of the modern world, is another famous example of the Art Deco architectural style, with its sleek lines and elegant spire. One of the attractions of Miami Beach, Florida, is its so-called Art Deco district, featuring thirty blocks of pastel-painted hotels and apartments constructed between the 1920s and the 1940s.

It was not until the collapse of the stock market in 1929 that Art Deco began to decline in popularity, though it remained widespread until World War II. The Golden Gate Bridge, built in 1937, is another example of the style and a testament to its enduring presence.

Impact

The impact of the Art Deco movement was felt in all aspects of everyday life. In architecture, jewelry, interior design, fashion, pottery, graphic arts, and sculpture, Art Deco was the prominent decorative styling of the interwar years, most notably the 1920s. With no actual founder, political leanings, philosophy, or manifesto, the movement was considered by many to be a celebration of art in its purest form and a testament to the modern-day machine age and urbanity that was rapidly taking hold around the world.

Bibliography

Benton, Charlotte, Tim Benton, and Ghislaine Wood. Art Deco, 1910–1939. Bulfinch Press, 2003.

Breeze, Carla. American Art Deco: Modernistic Architecture and Regionalism. W. W. Norton, 2003.

Duncan, Alastair. Art Deco Complete: The Definitive Guide to the Decorative Arts of the 1920s and 1930s. Abrams, 2009.

Robinson, Michael, and Rosalind Ormiston. Art Deco: The Golden Age of Graphic Art and Illustration. Flame Tree, 2009.

Weber, Eva. American Art Deco. J. G. Press, 2003.

Wolf, Norbert. Art Deco. Prestel Publishing, 2016.