Art Deco: 1910вђ“1939 <2024>

The dominance of Art Deco began to wane in the late 1930s. As the Great Depression deepened, the style evolved into "Streamline Moderne," a more austere, functional version of the aesthetic. By 1939, as the world moved toward the functionalism required by a second global conflict, the ornate and decorative nature of Art Deco felt out of step with the times.

The movement’s roots trace back to France around 1910, but it gained global recognition at the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Unlike previous movements that sought to harmonize with nature, Art Deco embraced the "poetry of the machine." It was a deliberate attempt to create a style that reflected the rapid technological progress of the era, from the rise of the automobile to the advent of the skyscraper. Characteristics and Aesthetics Art Deco: 1910–1939

The hallmark of Art Deco is its reliance on geometric shapes—circles, triangles, and squares—often arranged in symmetrical patterns. It prioritized verticality and streamlined forms, reflecting the aerodynamics of new travel technologies. Materiality played a crucial role; the style utilized expensive and exotic materials such as ivory, jade, and lacquer for high-end furniture, alongside "modern" industrial materials like chrome, stainless steel, and Bakelite. The dominance of Art Deco began to wane in the late 1930s