A Brief History of Art Deco
Art Deco is a term that has become synonymous with chic and elegance. It is the name given to a particular era of art and design, which began in the late 1890s and ended almost two hundred years later. Art Deco generally refers to anything that resembles or is influenced by Art Deco. This can include anything from fashions to architecture to interior design.
The most recognizable features of the art Deco period are its stylized shapes and patterns. Much of this art Deco was inspired by the works of Leonardo da Vinci. Da Vinci is well known for his stylized and exaggerated drawings. Most of the shapes he used were circles, ellipse, hexagon, and square. Other shapes used in his work included stylized versions of the letter “C”, arches, trapezoids, and rectangles.
Other elements common to the art Deco period were clean cuts and bright colors. The simplicity of the geometric figures was offset by the bold color combinations found in most pieces. Clean cut edges were used in geometric patterns to emphasize their geometric nature and to contrast with the ornate backgrounds. Bright colors were typically found in contrasting tones. For example, the bright red used in most works would contrast easily against the pale blue background. To give these works their modern look, many artists used different media including electronics, plastics, and fabric.
One of the most recognizable features of the art Deco style was the use of vertical lines and motifs. These were very large, usually made of glass, to be able to easily see the details of the artwork. A vertical line could represent an idea or a focal point. A series of vertical lines could signify the movement of an idea. The motifs found in the works were mostly geometrical and often times included basic geometrical shapes like squares, rectangles, and circles. Geometric motifs were found in nature as well, but more frequently than not, they were used in the art Deco style.
With this appearance, it is no surprise that the Art Deco architects responsible for the creation of the modern structure we call skyscrapers and apartment buildings are named after the Art Deco style. They were also responsible for the modern look of most airport terminals and train stations. Both of these elements represent the Art Deco style architecture of the period. It was a prolific period in the development of architecture and a very interesting one at that.
An interesting thing about Art Deco architecture is the use of geometric shapes and motifs. Unlike most other styles which are based around repeating basic geometric shapes, Art Deco architecture uses unusual angles and shapes. The motifs were most often very unique and could even be considered original. These motifs are often found within the shapes and angles of the building itself. For example, an individual building could have a pentagonal column running vertically up its side, while the other buildings could have a series of straight, square columns. geometric shapes and abstract designs were also very popular in Art Deco architecture, which is evident by the fact that many buildings bear the name of an Art Deco architect.