Art Deco 1918-1939
The term Art Deco is derived from the title of the 1925 Parisian Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes. This famous exhibition which emphasized the Arts Decoratifs, or decorative arts, marked the zenith of the luxurious French Art Deco style. Early French Art Deco designers were inspired by Les Ballets Russes, which arrived in Paris in 1909 and ignited a creative outburst in the design and fashion world. Delayed somewhat by the arrival of World War I, the style later flourished as interior designers and fine furniture makers were heralded at the 1925 Paris Exposition. Early designers romantically employed various themes and motifs such as stylized bubbles, rainbows, flowing water, fountains, flowers, ferns and cornucopias. The impact of Oriental design, especially Japanese design, can be seen in the simplicity of line and use of bright color combinations. The discovery of King Tut’s tomb (1922) resulted in the use of Egyptian motifs. Animals often incorporated into Art Deco design were exotic, sleek and fast: antelopes, gazelles, deer, horses, greyhounds and big cats such as tigers, panthers, jaguars and leopards. The Modern phase brought motifs that were more rectilinear, geometric or Cubic in inspiration. Designs suggesting movement, speed and the machine were popular decorative devices. Since the 1960’s, Art Deco has been en vogue with collectors, who came to find enjoyment in a style fashionable during the inter-war period of 1918 to 1939.