3. Artworks and items that were crafted individually that
possessed a sleek anti-traditional elegance that symbolizes
the wealthy and sophisticated.
Art Deco
4. ● Simple, clean shapes
● Sometimes provided a “streamlined” look
● Ornaments are geometrical or stylized
● From expensive materials
● Frequently uses man-made substances with natural ones
● Rarely mass-produced
● Reflected admiration for the modernity of the machine and for
the inherent design qualities of machine-made objects
Characteristics
6. Beginnings Of Art Deco
● Originated in 1920’s
● Popularized in Western Europe and United States
● Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels
Modernes
○ Organized by an association of French artists
■ La Societe des Artistes Decorateurs (society of decorator artists)
○ Held in Paris
○ 1925
● Represented modernism
8. Key Ideas
● Modern style that incorporates functional objects with
artistic elements
● Wished to enhance mass-produced products
● Acknowledges and admires the uniqueness and
authenticity of handmade objects and featured stylized,
organic forms
● Streamline Moderne is a stripped down, American version
of the European Art Deco
9. Concepts
Design
● Italian Futurism influenced the graphic designs in Art
Deco
○ Love for speed and machinery
● Utilizes straight and parallel lines
Furniture
● Similar to Art Nouveau but less curvy and simplified
10. Concepts
Architecture
● Hard-edged, often richly embellished designs
● Metal accents
● Emphasizes on vertical lines
○ To draw eyes upward
● Streamline effect used on rectangular, blocky forms that
are arranged geometrically
15. ● Born in Paris on August 28, 1879
● Started making furniture when he
was newly married to use for their
apartment
● Early designs reflected the Art
Nouveau influence
● Had no formal training in the making
of cabinets or furniture
● Ruhlmann’s expenses for his
furniture cost more than what he
sells them for
Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann
16. État
Macassar ebony, amaranth, ivory, oak, lumber-core plywood, poplar,
chestnut, mahogany, silvered brass
50 1/4 x 33 3/4 x 14 in.
17. Erté
● Born in Russia on November 23, 1892
● Real name is Romain de Tirtoff
● Designs included dresses and
accessories for women
● Under contract to the American fashion
magazine Harper’s Bazaar
● Created costumes that highlighted the Art
Deco interior design
19. Tamara de Lempicka
● Born in born Maria Gorska in
Warsaw (now Russia)
● Trained by two successful artists
during the height of post-Cubist
experimentation
● Incorporates geometric, faceted
forms of Cubism but emphasizes on
soft modeling
● Open minded towards sexuality
● Her artworks are tributes
○ jazz- and flapper-age decadence
21. Fritz Ferdinand Preiss
● Born in Germany on 13th February 1882
● Parents died and lived with Philipp
Willmann
○ Famous ivory carver
○ Was Trained there
● Earned his living as a modeller
● Founded the company Preiss & Kassler
○ Ivory-carving business
○ Provides workshops
● Specializes in Art Deco cabinet
sculptures
○ combined ivory with bronze paint
23. Hildreth Meière
● Muralist
● Pioneered a modern approach to
murals
○ Against academic tradition
● Known for her willingness to explore
new materials
● Awarded the Fine Arts Medal in
1956 by the American Institute of
Architects
34. Later Developments
● Occurred during beginning of the Great Depression
● Austerity as core aesthetic
● Streamlined phase by the late 1930's
● Exotic materials were replaced with concrete, glass, and
chrome hardware
● The style went out of fashion in most places during World
War II
● Rediscovered in the late 1960's
35. Influence and Legacy
● Main inspiration for the Memphis Group
● Continues to influence Mid-Century Modern design
● To this day used as source of inspiration
37. Strengths of Art Deco
● Purely aesthetic
○ Was not involved in political or philosophical ideologies
● Simplicity
● Incorporated different cultures and art methods but
remained unique
● Considered to be safe due to low relief surface decoration
38. Weaknesses of Art Deco
● Not mass produced
● The materials were expensive
○ Great Depression
○ the end of the movement, the materials became
cheaper
● Stylistic limitation
○ Has a defined/specific look
