Art Deco & Early Modern Design

The shift to modern design left no aspect of life untouched! Here we explore the many aspects of Art Deco and early modern decorative arts and design including design of interiors, fashion, graphics, jewelry, and more! Hover over any image below to learn the topic of the article and for the option to read the full article.

Over forty years ago, Manhattan physician Robert Lerch purchased a red and black Bakelite clasp bracelet with a geometric Art Deco design. That was the beginning of a Bakelite collection that has grown to approximately 2,000 pieces of jewelry as well as 3,000 other objects, such as radios, buttons, clocks, boxes, umbrella handles, and knives. Read More. .

Design elements of Art Deco architecture and decorative arts include everything from the luxurious Egyptian motifs of King Tut’s tomb––the discovery in 1922 stirred the world’s imagination––to the futuristic art movements of Fauvism, Cubism, Bauhaus, and others. Read More. .

Have you ever though about reinventing the past? In this article, Jack Rennert & David A. Schneider explore the ways in which travel posters focused age-old subjects and portrayed then in a new light. In addition, they also explore the relationship between travel posters and travel for leisure. Read More. .

In this article, Maddy Lederman explores prohibition and the fascination with cocktails throughout the 1920s. Read More. .

In this article, Kathleen Murphy Skolnik explores Art Deco design present in architectural structures throughout Cuba. Read More. .

Rebecca McNamara explores how Deco was all in the details: sunbursts on iron gates; gold-leaf ceilings; Bakelite radios; stylized, geometric designs affecting nearly everything from posters to furnishings; but specifically a diminutive object held casually in the hand as smoke wafted in the air. Read More. .

Benjamin Macklowe & Zoe Groomes-Klotz explore what sets Art Deco jewelry apart is that, although it is now historical, when it was created, it represented newness––new global influences, new technologies, new art, and new materials. Read More. .

In this article, Leonard Fox with the assistance of Adrianne Cochran, explore illustrated books as an art form within the Art Deco era. Read More. .

Sarah D. Coffin and Emily M. Orr explore how, in the 1920s, boundaries between the industrial and the domestic––as well as the urban exterior and the private interior––were shifting and even dissolving, therefore vastly influencing the realm of design. Read More. .

Bill Miller explores how ocean liners were once described as the “greatest moving objects made by man.” And, how some say the Art Deco liners were the very best, absolutely the most glamorous and memorable of all the great ships. This article explores six of the best Art Deco examples! Read More. .

As a consultant for the Radio Corporation of America (RCA), John Vassos shaped the new media of television and radio. In addition to his industrial design work, the multitalented Vassos illustrated books and advertisements, painted murals, developed educational materials, and more! Read More. .

This is a review of the latest book from design historian Marilyn F. Friedman, which relates the evolution of modern American interior design and its acceptance by American consumers over the 1930s. Read More. .

In this article, Glenn Loney discusses the motivations behind the golden gate international Exposition. Additionally, Loney explores that multitude of cultures present throughout the exposition. Read More. .

Pierre Chareau was one of the most sought-after designers in France. His talent at integrating architecture and interior design into a harmonious entity attracted an elite clientele with a taste for the modern. Read More. .

In this article, Nicholas Dawes explores how René Lalique is best known for thousands of glass designs, but he was a master of two careers. The first, as a jeweler, largely during La Belle Époque, lasted until he was in his early fifties. While much of his later work, in glass, is readily identifiable as Art Deco. Read More. .

In this article, Irene Moore explores the development of the fragrance industry thought the Art Deco era. Additionally, Moore displays the various designs of perfume bottles present throughout the Art Deco era. Read More. .

In this article, Peter D.Paul and Barbara Sandrisser explore Art Deco design in public spaces. Read More. .

Stephen Visakay explores Norman Bel Geddes iconic Manhattan cocktail set, with its sleek lines and gleaming chrome, and how it exemplifies the cocktail age and Art Deco styling. Legend has it that Bel Geddes was inspired by the New York skyline when creating this masterwork. Read More. .

Kathleen Murphy Skolnik explores the stunning work of Thomas Hart Benton’s mural, America Today This striking panorama of American life in the 1920s gives a visual record of its rural, urban, and industrial landscapes and the impact of modern technology on its people. Read More. .

Thomas C. Folk looks at how Waylande Gregory, one of the leading American ceramists of the 1930s, created the first monumental ceramic sculptures and helped to elevate ceramics from a decorative to a fine art. Today, Gregory’s work is well represented in museum and private collections. Read More. .

In this article, Emily Arbuckle discusses the development, triumph and evolution of women fashion designers within the 20th century. Read More. .

In this article, Kathleen Murphy Skolnik discusses women's often hidden contributions to Art Deco design. Read More. .

This article discusses the designed interiors of Frank Lloyd Wright’s Little House and its connections with Art Deco Design. Read More. .

Want to learn more? The Art Deco Society of New York has been compiling a listing of books and materials that focus on Art Deco architecture, design, and the culture of the 1920s and 30s. The list is by no means complete but there are wonderful materials for you to enjoy. Read More. .