Art+Deco+Style

﻿ ﻿Art Deco Style ﻿By Kristen Lavallato The age of Art Deco bloomed between WWI and WWII, primarily during the Great Depression and was a great way for people to deal with the adversity in their lives. As everyone was recovering from tough economic times and suffering from World War I, people turned to their resources to create something of beauty with a positive spirit; they created Art Deco. This 20th century style was found internationally around the world; in fact it originated in Paris, in the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels in 1925.

Art Deco included accessories, furniture, decorations, pottery, porcelain, and architecture made up of many different symbols, shapes, colors, and designs. Art Deco had a modern feel that included colors and a look that was inspired by nature; it was also common to find statues and other works of art representing a female or an animal figure. Many described this style as clean and pure, with straight lines, and gradual sweeping curves following a fine arc.

Everywhere one looked, Art Deco would catch their eye. The furniture around this time contained much skill, including French polishing. There were also two well known trends in furniture design around this time. One of these was referred to as modern furniture, which used metals and plastics. The other trend called for high-quality craftsmanship. To accessorize these pieces of furniture, tableware, ceramics, and glass were often used.

 Tableware included tea or coffee sets, dishes, salt and pepper shakers, even boxes, candle sticks, ice buckets, ash trays, and more. Tableware was sold so cheap, due to the materials it was made of: Bakelite, Vitrolite, Vitroflex, urea formaldehyde, phenolic resin and other plastics. Ceramics was one of the most popular items in Art Deco, and was the most widespread. Artists would keep the basic shape of the vase, cup, plate, or bowl. They would then treat the ceramic as if it was a canvas and paint designs, pictures, and symbols on it. Glass was seen in a vast number of places, jewelry, tables, lamps, vases, and it was commonly used in the architectural business as well. The modern houses in 1930s would include floor to ceiling glass walls. Because the demand of glass was so high, people had to make it sturdier. For example, the new glass in the 1930s was made to stand up to high heat; it was even made to be shaped into sculptures and other shapes to fit into their architectural positions.

Overall, Art Deco Style brought a new and colorful life to the 1930s. With almost every item being transformed into a decorative, colorful, and affordable product, the lives of those caught in the Great Depression were made brighter and more hopeful that things would begin to turn around in the near future. It helped to relieve the stress caused by the hard times. Some businesses were even starting to economically recover with the high demand of Art Deco products. People would purchase Art Deco trinkets or minor accessories after saving up for weeks, and though they were nothing expensive, it let the people know that times were not always going to be that though. At this time, Art Deco Style brought escapism to the hardships people were facing, a modern and positive feel to society, and increased hope and faith for a brighter, better, and more successful future.

Sources:
Klein, Dan. All Color Book of Art Deco. London: Treasure, 1984. Print. Lemme, Arie Van De. A Guide to Art Deco Style. Secaucus, NJ: Chartwell, 1986. Print. [] - Salt and Pepper Shaker [].- Female Figure/ Dog Statue []- Art Deco Inspired Window