What is Art Deco Furniture?

Art Deco is a term, often used interchangeably with Art Nouveau, which dates from the years prior to the French Revolution. Art Deco generally refers to a specific style of architecture, art and visual arts which first appeared in France prior to World War I. The term is most often associated with the era of “Pop Art” which fell along in the decade before the First World War I, and which centered on the style and subjects of abstract art. However Art Deco actually began much earlier, in the early nineteenth century, and was born out of the desire of artists to express their creativity in an unique manner. After the artist Sir Alphonse Mucha left his native Spain for Paris, many of his works were produced in France. Mucha’s peers included artists such as Pablo Picasso and Georges Braque, who all practiced the art of Art Deco.

The origins of the term Art Deco can be traced back to the Art Nouveau movement which took place in the years prior to the First World War I when art Deco styles began to appear in architecture, painting, jewelry and other decorative items. These decorative arts had a distinct influence on the ways in which the world looked for beauty around them. The Art Deco style quickly became well known throughout the world as it was frequently shown in movies, music videos and other forms of entertainment. The term was first used in advertisements where they depicted elegant people and stylish modernistic settings. Soon the phrase “art deco” began to be used to describe any type of artistic movement or aesthetic.

Art Deco generally focused on a single style or topic. For instance, in the early nineteen hundreds the movement focused its efforts on developing the concept of the Eiffel Tower. This structure, which was completed ineradicable by its creators, was meant to be a stylistic departure from the traditional decorative arts of the time. The movement ultimately failed due to the outbreak of World War I but the idea of the Eiffel Tower was carried forward by several architects, including Le Corbusier. He continued to build the tower in various different styles until it was destroyed during World War II.

As the war wound down the focus of art Deco design returned to furniture. After the allied forces were defeated in World War II, the government took over much of the decorative arts industry including the process of redesigning buildings. As the government retook control of these buildings, the focus of the decorative arts changed again and began to stray away from the more traditional style of architecture that had been used prior to the war. The Eiffel Tower was redesigned by renowned French architect Louis Sullivan, who used the Eiffel Tower as a point of interest in his new building.

The geometric style that was used in the Eiffel Tower was popularized by the art Deco buildings of Paris during the period of the Great Depression. These buildings featured simple square or rectangular shapes, which were then turned into intricate, detailed shapes with geometric designs. The Depression also resulted in the use of bright colors for these buildings as they were much cheaper to produce. Some of these buildings still stand to this day despite the hardships faced during the period. The Eiffel Tower was one of these buildings that have survived the years since the depression despite the odds.

Art Deco Furniture – The Art Deco style is commonly associated with the elegance, simplicity and modernism that you often see associated with it. The Art Deco style was born in France, but it was actually a cross-cultural experiment which involved the United States, England, Germany and France. It is important to note that Art Deco was not an actual style or even an age. Art Deco was a movement, a style, and a lifestyle which took influence from many other forms of art, literature, theater, and music, and fused them all into an individual style.