Art Deco Style

The dominant style in architecture, jewellery and interior decoration of the 1920s and 1930s, Art Deco was an exuberant reaction to the austerity and functionalism of the war years. Characterized by geometric shapes, stylized natural forms and the use of luxurious materials and inspired by sources ranging from Ancient Egypt to the Ballets Russes, the style originally emanated from France and spread quickly to Britain, the USA and thence all over the globe during the 1930s. Interest in Art Deco was revived in the 1960s, partly as a result of the work of Bevis Hillier, 'Mr Art Deco'. In his introduction to this book, Hillier recalls his own adventures, triumphs and mistakes in writing the first book on the subject and co-organizing the colossal Minneapolis exhibition in 1971. Stephen Escritt's text brings us up to date with scholarship and changing attitudes towards Art Deco. By charting its various worldwide manifestations, he demonstrates that the style (although only retrospectively labelled a 'movement') had a coherence that led to its international spread. The book illustrated with examples from all over the world, ranging from liners to letter boxes and from radios to lampposts.