Art Deco

The term Art Deco was coined from the Exposition des Arts Decoratifs held in Paris in 1925. Robert Mallet-Stevens helped art Deco thrive in Europe and in the United States, Art Deco was practiced by Raymond Hood. At its best, Art Deco represented elegance, glamour, functionality and modernity.

Art Deco is loosely based on the Geometrical shapes, zigzags, trapezoids and jumbled shapes, influenced by a lot of sources, and was a form for stylish and elegant modernism. However I think Art Deco was mostly influenced by Egyptian Art and Architecture. Since most Egyptian art told stories about the past, Art Deco Style imitated this and designers often put symbolic images in their structures or their works. One good example of this is the Chrysler Building designed by William Van Alen. The skyscraper was adorned with abstract images such as cars, hubcaps and eagle hood ornaments.

Art Deco was basically and ornamental style and the lavishness was probably because of imposition made by World War I. Art Deco had many distinctive styles however its significant feature probably is the dependence on the use of a range of ornaments and motifs.