The years leading up to the Great War saw the natural progression from the curved ornate style of Art Nouveau towards a more geometric and streamlined approach to design. This new outlook on life, which indeed it was, affected all aspects from art, cinema and music to the rapidly developing architectural and manufacturing industries of the time. It is impossible to pinpoint an exact birth date for this 'moderne' trend as it became known, but by around 1910 significant advances had been made by major contributors to the new crisp appearance of Art Deco.
Though the actual coining of the phrase Art Deco didn't happen until 1966 it is generally agreed that the term derived from the great Paris exhibition of 1925. L'exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels stamped the art form with such an immovable force upon the world stage that is now recognised as France being the major contributor to the Deco form respecting quality, innovation and marketing. The new French styling, termed high Art Deco, enthused in a class of it's own and the shockwaves caused by the exhibition are still rumbling today.
With heightened interest in the Art Deco movement culminating in the recent Victoria & Albert Museum exhibition, DecoWare.co.uk will try to follow in the footsteps of the Paris extravaganza by offering dealers in Art Deco a place in a bespoke collective that will appeal to and be easily accessible by the general public. Just as a start point eludes us so does any definite end time to the movement. One could easily argue that it is as prolific today as it was in its infancy. The influence is seen all around. Even the automobile industry seems to have re-adopted the sweeping lines of cars from the Twenties and Thirties. A significant spurt in the Fifties re-popularised the essence and again in the Seventies especially noticeable in the minimalist look of consumer products.
It seems incredible that such an exuberant style could flourish midst a war-ravaged depressed society. The influences of Hollywood, the Age of Jazz and the vitality of emerging dance forms offered a release from the impending doom of the Second World War. Mass production meant even the most meagre earner could afford an object of quality and beauty. After the stuffiness of Art Nouveau this breath of fresh air must have offered a long overdue welcome relief.
If you are interested in art deco then visit our Vintage Arts website where you will find art deco for sale including Myott pottery.