Art Deco: 1920-1930

Art Deco obtained its name from the 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs Industriels et Modernes, which was held in Paris to celebrate contemporary life. The movement concentrated on an assortment of modern and decorative artistic styles throughout the 1920s and 1930s, following a discipline introduced by the numerous avant-garde paintings of the early twentieth century.

The artists that have contributed to the Art Deco movement have demonstrated varying influences in their works – from Cubism, to Russian Constructivism, to Italian Futurism. Particularly popular was the desire to illustrate the ever-increasing authority of the machine, and with it, the rise of trade, speed and technology. This was manifested in displays of geometric shapes, distortion and abstraction, infused with bright, simplified colours, as well as streamlined contours that mirrored the principles of aerodynamics.

Above all, Art Deco was perceived to be both a symbol of suave elegance in architecture and art.

Our Art on Demand gallery contains the following art deco prints, posters and canvases: