art deco study guide
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Art deco study guideTRANSCRIPT
Art Deco Study Guide
Detail of dress fabric, from "Art, Goût, Beauté: Feuillets d`Élégance Feminine", English edition; published byÉditions d'Art, printed by Imprimerie Spéciale des Succrs. d'Albert Godde, Bedin et Cie.; Paris, France, 1921–33.
What is Art Deco?The term 'Art Deco' was coined in 1926, following a retrospective exhibition entitledLes Années '25, held at theMusée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. This commemorated the 1925 Paris Exposition Internationale des ArtsDécoratifs et Industriels Modernes. Originally planned for 1915, but postponed on account of World War I(1914–18), the 1925 Exposition was distinctive from previous international exhibitions for two reasons. For the firsttime, the decorative and applied arts held centre stage. The criteria for inclusion in the Exposition alsoemphasised the modern, to the extent that wellestablished decorative artists might be excluded because theywere seen as representative of a previous generation.
The architecture and decorative arts shown at the 1925 Exposition embodied a whole range of unconnected stylesand sources, including a modern interpretation of the 18thcentury style of Louis XVI (reigned 1643–1715), seen asthe golden era of the French decorative arts, and references to the avantgarde art movements of the time, such asCubism and the Bauhaus. Diaghilev's Ballets Russes and exotic and ancient cultures such as ancient Egyptian(following the discovery of the Pyramid tombs) and Mayan civilisations, and the art of Japan and Africa, also had animpact on the style. Unlike Modernist art movements, with their social philosophies and manifestos, Art Deco waspurely decorative. A modern style, responding to the machine and to new materials such as plastic, Art Deco in its1925 context was also sumptuous, a luxury style, characterised by individually produced luxury goods for wealthyconnoisseurs.
The 1925 Exposition had a major influence on the decorative arts in America. Although the United States was notrepresented, many Americans visited the exhibition. In 1926 the Metropolitan Museum of Art held a retrospectiveexhibition to which original contributors were asked to send material. The American contribution to Art Deco isknown as Streamlining and is characterised by clean lines and strong curves. It was applied to the design of cars,
architecture and furniture. It was also applied to new massproduced goods such as refrigerators and radios. Intheir attempt to reach new consumers from around 1930, manufacturers took iconic elements of the Art Decostyles and simplified them for mass production. Married to modern machine age materials such as bakelite andchrome, this style heralded an era of 'modern' design for mass consumption of affordable consumer goods.
How to find out about Art Deco in the National Art LibraryThe National Art Library has a wealth of material for studying Art Deco in its various forms, including general workson Art Deco, catalogues of the International exhibitions, Salon and other exhibition catalogues, trade literature,sales catalogues and periodicals.
The Library also houses original treasures such as fine bindings, beautifully printed and illustrated books, andprinted books of designs, a selection of which is included in this guide.
General books on Art DecoA list has been provided below of general books on Art Deco in its various media. Many of these provide briefdetails about the large number of artists who contributed to the 1925 exhibition or produced work that could beconsidered Art Deco in style. Some of these quickly became involved in the modern art movements, but there areothers whose names have become synonymous with Art Deco. Prominent names include ÉmileJacquesRuhlmann (furniture and interiors), Jean Dunand (lacquerware), Edward McKnightKauffer (graphics),FrançoisLouis Schmied (luxury printed books), Paul Bonet (book bindings), Pierre Legrain (book bindings,furniture and interiors), Rose Adler (furniture and interiors, bindings), Paul Colin (graphics), Paul Poiret (fashion),Sonia Delaunay (fashion), René Lalique (glass, jewellery), Edgar Brandt (metalwork), Erté, Jean Puiforcat(silverware), Maurice Marinot (glass), and Demetre Chiparus (sculpture).
International exhibitionsThe best sources for finding out what was considered new or representative of a particular time are theInternational or Colonial exhibitions, which were conceived as international trade showcases, and, following the1851 Great Exhibition, were held at increasingly frequent intervals. The best way to access the catalogues of theseis to search under the Author Keyword for the main words of the exhibition name. Sources include officialcatalogues and commissioners' reports, guides and reminiscences of these exhibitions.
For Art Deco, the most important international exhibition was the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs etIndustriels Modernes (1925: Paris). The Library has the 12 volume reprint of the original Encyclopédie des ArtsDécoratifs et Industriels Modernes au XXème (Garland: New York, 1977). A documentary record of the 1925exhibition. Volumes are arranged by subject category; check the computer catalogue for individual volume titles.
Also of interest is the Exposition Coloniale Internationale de Paris (1931). For the US and later Art Deco style, lookat the Century of Progress International Exposition (1933–4: Chicago), the Golden Gate International Exposition(19391940: San Francisco) and the New York World's Fair (1939–40). The Exposition Internationale (1937: Paris)is more relevant for Modernism, which, with its emphasis on the machine and mass production, took hold inEurope from around 1930.
The colonial exhibitions and other international exhibitions held in the 1920s and 1930s are also useful sources.To find out about what exhibitions were held, look in:
Greenhalgh, Paul, Ephemeral vistas: the Expositions Universelles, Great Exhibitions and World'sFairs, 1851–1939, Manchester University Press, 1988
Neuberg, Hans, Internationale Ausstellungsgestaltung; Conception internationale d'expositions;Conceptions of international exhibitions, ABCVerlag, 1969
Mattie, Erik, World's fairs, Princeton Architectural Press, 1998. Findling, John E, Historical dictionary of world's fairs and expositions, 1851–1988, Greenwood
Press, 1990.
Salon and other exhibitionsExhibitions, usually held annually, were important for making the work of an artist known. It was at the main Salonswhere the work of artists was brought together. Good biographies or catalogue raisonnés will usually detail or listthe exhibitions to which an individual artist contributed throughout their career. Catalogues in the National ArtLibrary can be searched using the Author AZ or Title Keyword search for gallery or Salon names. Note that manyexhibition catalogues are still currently not catalogued on computer. The blue microfiches list all cataloguesacquired up to 1987 and are organised alphabetically by city and gallery name, then in exhibition date order.
Trade literatureMany artists ran their own workshops that issued catalogues and other advertising material. These include thefashion designer Paul Poiret (Atelier Martine), glassware and lighting designer Réné Lalique and furniture andinterior designers Süe et Mare (Compagnie des Arts Francais). Others designed for established manufacturingcompanies, such as Daum (glass) and Sèvres (porcelain) or for studios of the major department stores, such asPrimavera (Printemps), Le Sylve (Le Bucheron), La Maîtrise (Galeries Lafayette), and Pomone (Bon Marché).Names of these companies can be gleaned from reading about individual artists. Many of these companies hadpavilions or small displays at the international exhibitions and may be mentioned in the reports and guides tothese (see above under International exhibitions).
The National Art Library actively collects examples of trade catalogues past and present. For more details abouttrade literature see Trade Catalogues in the National Art Library. Included in the library holdings is the EKCOcollection of around 1000 catalogues and trade ephemera collected by the EKCO Radio Co. between 1935 and1940, although it also includes some examples from later.
Library holdings for known companies can be searched using the Author AZ or Author Keyword searches. Tosearch for trade catalogues relating to a specific product type, such as car manufacture, try a Subject Keywordsearch, for example 'Trade catalogues automobiles'. Note however, that not everything is fully catalogued toinclude subject headings, so this search on its own will yield incomplete results. A useful source for product andcompany names are advertisements found in lifestyle magazines of the time. Catalogues in the EKCO Collectionare not individually listed. The collection can be found by typing EKCO using the Author AZ search.
Sales cataloguesSales catalogues are a good source for tracing and finding out general information and information about specificobjects. There is a guide to sales catalogues in the National Art Library available in the reading room, and on theAuction House Sale Catalogues page. In the computer catalogue under the Sales catalogues menu, a TitleKeyword search for the term 'Art Deco' or an individual artist's name will bring up a large number of hits. Note thatnot all of the international sales catalogues have been catalogued online. To see if the Library has a catalogue fora sale where the city and date is known, the pre1987 red microfiches (organised by city and then by date of sale)may still need to be checked. There is also an owners microfiche for searches under the name of the original
owner of a collection.
PeriodicalsThe National Art Library has a large number of periodicals and subscribes to indexes which will help theresearcher find articles on particular subjects. A few of the fine art and graphics periodicals published at the timehighlighted the work of some of the better known decorative artists, and they could also include articles by andabout important collectors, which provide insights into the fashions of the art market at the time. They alsoreviewed exhibitions and sales, including the international exhibitions. A selection of some of these is listed below.Fashion and lifestyle magazines published at the time are a useful source not only for showing trends in fashionbut also commercial advertising graphics. A few of the ones to look out for are also listed.
Art periodicals: a selection of the most useful published during the Art Decoperiod
Apollo the arts for collectors and connoisseurs; features articles on artists and collectors Art et Décoration a contemporary review for modern art, often featuring articles about individual
designers and collectors, and illustrations of interiors L’Art et les Artistes Art Work international arts and crafts The Bookcollector’s Quarterly "Byblis", miroir des arts du livre et de l'estampe devoted to the art of
the book and printing Commercial Art, Commercial Art and Industry, Art and Industry (title varies) commercial graphics Deutsche Kunst und Dekoration a contemporary review for art and interiors Gazette des Beaux Arts Gebrauchsgraphik: International Advertising Art Innendekoration devoted to interior decoration Mobilier et Décoration often featuring articles about individual designers and collectors Penrose Annual a yearly review of the graphic arts Publicité advertising graphics
Fashion magazines from the Art Deco periodThe Library has selective holdings of fashion magazines from the period, including:
Art, goût beauté Falbalas et fanfreluches Gazette du bon ton Guirlande des mois almanach Modes et manières d'Aujourd'hui
All of the French fashion periodicals listed above are beautifully illustrated with pochoir prints, produced by some ofthe best known artists of the day. Gazette du bon ton is considered the most innovative illustrated fashionmagazine of the period.
Femina published first in France, with a subsequent British edition Harpers bazaar originally published in America, with a subsequent British edition Vanity fair published in America, a lifestyle magazine
Vogue originally published in America, and subsequently in other countries
Original Art Deco works in the National Art Library collectionThe National Art Library also collects original fine bindings, luxury printed editions and illustrated books, popularfiction for its illustrations or dust jackets and other works which are considered important visual records of anartist’s work. A selection is listed below.
Pattern design
Benedictus, Edouard, Variations : quatrevingtsix motifs décoratifs en vingt planches parBenedictus, A Levy, [1924?]
Benedictus, Edouard, Nouvelles variations : soixantequinze motifs décoratifs en vingt planches parBenedictus, A Levy, 1929.
Benedictus, Edouard, Relais, 1930: quinze planches donnant quarantedeux motifs décoratifs,enluminure de l’art de J. Saudé, Vincent, 1930.
Delaunay, Sonia, Compositions, couleurs, idees, Éditions d'art Charles Moreau, [1930?]
Interiors from the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes, Paris, 1925
Dufrène, Maurice, Les intérieurs français; ou, Salon des artistes décorateurs en 1926, présentés parMaurice Dufrène, Charles Moreau, 1926
Exposition internationale des arts décoratifs et industriels modernes, Paris, 1925. Une ambassadefrançaise organisée par la Société des artistes décorateurs, Charles Moreau, 1925
Intérieurs en couleurs, France: cinquante planches en couleurs, A. Lévy, 1926
Illustrations of modern fashion and lifestyle
Art, goût, beauté: feuillets d'élégance feminine, Éditions d'Art, 1921–33 Barbier, George, Falbalas & fanfreluches: almanach des modes présentes passées & futures
pour…, Jules Meynial, 1922–6 Barbier, George, Guirlande des mois almanach Jules Meynial, 1917–21 Barbier, George,Vingtcinq costumes pour le théâtre, Camille Bloch & Jules Meynial, 1927 Colin, Paul, Le tumulte noir, Éditions d’Art, [19?] Gazette du bon ton : arts, modes et frivolites, Librairie centrale des beauxarts, 1912–25 Iribe, Paul, Les robes de Paul Poiret, Paul Poiret, 1908 Lepape, Georges, Les choses de Paul Poiret, Maquet, 1911 Modes et manières d'Aujourd'hui, Corrard, 1914–22
Luxury editions, printed or illustrated by FrançoisLouis Schmied
Le Cantique des Cantiques, translated by Ernest Renan, F.L. Schmied, 1925 Chateaubriand, FrançoisRené, vicomte de, Les aventures du dernier Abencérage, Les Bibliophiles
de l'Amérique Latine, 1930 Graux, Lucien, Le tapis de prières, published 'Pour les amis du docteur LucienGraux', 1938 Mardrus, J. C, Histoire charmante de l'adolescente, Sucre d'Amour : grand conte oriental inédit, F.L.
Schmied, 1927
Literature with interesting illustrations or dustjackets
Delaunay, Sonia, illustration for Blaise Cendrars, La Prose du Transibérien et la Petite Jehanne deFrance, (Paris: Editions des Hommes Nouveaux, 1913). Gouache on paper. French, 1913
Restricted access; this work can be studied in Sidoti, Antoine, La prose du Transsibérien et de laPetite Jehanne de France: Blaise Cendrars,Sonia Delaunay, novembredécembre 1912juin 1914:genèse et dossier d'une polémique, Lettres modernes, 1987
Vassos, John, Contempo: This American tempo. Creations by John Vassos, E.P. Dutton, 1929 Vassos, John, illustrations for Wilde, Oscar, The harlot's house: and other poems, E.P. Dutton, 1929
For examples of more dustjackets see later under Archive of Art and Design.
Luxury bindings
Anonymous. Binding (1926) for France, Anatole, Balthasar, Ferroud, 1926 Creuzevault, Louis, binding (1925) for a de luxe edition of Le Cantique des Cantiques, translated by
Ernest Renan, F.L. Schmied, 1925 Bonfils, Robert, binding (1919) for Régnier, Henri de, Les rencontres de M. de Bréot; roman, Éditions
Réné Kieffer, 1919 Kohn, Madeleine, binding (about 1923) for Jammes, Francis, Pomme d'Anis, EmilePaul Frères,
1923 Kohn, Madeleine, binding (1924) for Morand, Paul, Tendres Stocks, EmilePaul Frères, 1924 Legrain, Pierre, binding (1914) for Toussaint, Franz, Le jardin des caresses, H. Piazza, 1914 Legrain, JacquesAntoine and Legrain, Pierre, binding (1950 to an earlier design by Pierre Legrain)
for Nodier, Charles, Histoire du chien Brisquet, Pelletan, 1900 Pye, Sybil, binding (1926) for Flaubert, Gustave, La légende de Saint Julien l'hospitalier, Eragny
press, 1900 Pye, Sybil, binding on a dummy book (1927) for Apuleius, Lucius, The marriage of Cupid and Psyche
Vale Press, 1897 Pye, Sybil, binding (1934) for The Apocrypha, Nonesuch Press, Dial Press, 1924
Related material in the Victoria and Albert MuseumThe Prints & Drawings study room
Works, such as prints, designs, posters, advertisement and trade cards and photographs, can be seen at the .Holdings of Art Deco material include posters by such artists as Edward McKnight Kauffer, Paul Colin and A.M.Cassandre, the fashion designs of Paul Poiret and designs for the Houses of Worth and Paquin, designs forinteriors, and work by the photographers Edward Steichen, Cecil Beaton, Florence Henri and Man Ray.
Collections can be searched using the printed catalogues in the Print Room. Catalogues include those forPosters, Prints, Photographs, Wallpaper and Decorative Papers, and Drawings and Watercolours. There are alsosubject and topographic catalogues. The Print Room also has access to the museumwide online collectionsdatabase. The Prints & Drawings Study Room can be contacted on +44 (0)20 7942 2563 or Contact us online.
The Archive of Art and Design
A large collection of mainly British book jackets from this period is held at the Archive Art and Design. These areinteresting as examples of commercial graphic art and were often designed by well known poster artists. Some ofthe book jackets are Art Deco in design and include work by Edward McKnight Kauffer, Theyre LeeElliott andEugene Thurston (Gené). See item 33 in Lomas, Elizabeth Guide to the Archive of Art and Design, Victoria & AlbertMuseum (London: Fitzroy Dearborn Publishers in association with the Victoria and Albert Museum, c2001). Adetailed inventory is in the process of being compiled and there is also a brief listing of some of the designers'names.
Access to the Archive is by appointment. For further information or an appointment please contact the Archive on+44 (0)20 7603 7493 or Contact us online
General books on Art Deco
The following is a list of some of the most useful sources covering Art Deco in general. It includes books aboutindividual media but does not include books about individual artists.
General works Arwas, Victor, Art Deco. Abradale Press, 1992 & 2000 a substantial reference book, well illustrated
with biographies of artists. Library has both editions. Bayer, Patricia. Art deco sourcebook. Phaidon, 1988 an introduction to the subject Bouillon, JeanPaul, Art Deco, 19031940, Editions d'art Albert Skira, 1989 an introduction to all
aspects of the style with a substantial bibliography Duncan, Alastair, The encyclopedia of art deco, Grange Books, 2000 an introduction to the subject Duncan, Alastair, Art Deco, Thames & Hudson, 1988 an introduction to the subject Hillier, Bevi, Art deco of the 20s and 30s, Studio Vista, 1968 & 1973 the original book that defined
and named the style. Library has both editions. Hillier, Bevis & Escritt, Stephen, Art deco style, Phaidon, 1997 an overview of the style, bringing the
previous work uptodate Morgan, Sarah M, Art deco: the European style, Dorset Press, 1990 well illustrated essays covering
different media Sternau, Susan A, Art deco: flights of artistic fancy, Todtri, 1997 a general introduction with short
essays on many aspects of the style
Individual countries
Berents, Catharina, Art deco in Deutschland: das moderne Ornament. AnabasVerlag, 1998 Duncan, Alastair, American Art Deco, Thames & Hudson, 1986 Dybdahl, Lars, Dansk design: 19101945: art deco & funktionalisme, Danske
kunstindustrimuseum, 1997 Czech art deco, 19181938, exhibition at Obecný dum (Municipal House), Prague, 1998 Peres Rojas, Javier, Art deco en Espana, Cátedra, 1990 Halén, Widar, Art deco, funkis, Scandinavian design, Orfens Forlag, 1996 Hornekov, Jana, Art Deco: Boemia 19181938, (In Italian), Electa, 1996 KrzyztofowiczKozakowska, Stefania, Art Deco w Polsce + Art deco in Poland, Muzeum Narodowe w
Krakowie, 1993
Individual media architecture and interiors
Bayer, Patricia, Art deco architecture: design, decoration and detail from the twenties andthirties,Thames & Hudson, 1992 covers architecture world wide in its various Art Deco forms
Bayer, Patricia, Art deco interiors: decoration and design classics from the 1920s and 1930s,Thames & Hudson, 1990 essays on the 1925 Paris Exposition, Paris, the rest of the world andStreamline Moderne and public places, as well as the Art Deco revival and restoration of interiors,well illustrated with a good bibliography and a list of museums with collections
Cerwinske, Laura, Tropical deco: the architecture and design of old Miami beach, Rizzoli, 1981 with very good colour illustrations and essays on different details and aspects of the subject, suchas facades, doors and imagery
Dufrene, Maurcie, Authentic art deco interiors from the 1925 Paris exhibition, Antique CollectorsClub, 1989 & 2002 illustrations of original photographs with a descriptive background essay byAlastair Duncan. Library has both editions.
Duncan, Alastair, Art deco furniture: the French designers, Thames & Hudson, 1984 an indepthstudy with biographies of the designers
Duncan, Alastair, Art nouveau and art deco lighting, Thames & Hudson, 1978 essays on differentdesigners, black and white illustrations
Vlack, Don, Art deco architecture in New York, 19201940, Harper & Row 1974 useful essaysdealing with specifics, such as decorative motifs, materials, function, geometrics, black and whiteillustrations but includes a useful list of buildings and architects also organised by location
Kjellberg, Pierre, Art deco: les maitres du mobilier, le décor des paquebots, Amateur, 1998 asubstantial book providing a general introduction with biographies of artists and a section ondifferent cruise liners of the period, well illustrated with a good bibliography
Bookbinding and book arts
Duncan, Alastair and de Bartha, Georges, Art nouveau and art deco bookbinding: the Frenchmasterpieces, Thames & Hudson, 1989 a useful introduction to the main names and backgroundto art deco, includes biographies of the artists
Lucius, Wulf D von, Bucherlust: Buchkunst und Bucherluxus im 20 Jahrhundert : Beispiel aus einerStuttgarter Sammlung, Württenburgische Landesbibliothek, 1998 beautifully illustrated, with thefirst chapter covering some of the most sumptuous books from this period, including fashionperiodicals
Ceramics
McCready, Karen, Art deco and modernist ceramics, Thames & Hudson, 1995 an overview of thesubject with biographies of the artists, well illustrated
Stevenson, Greg, Art deco ceramics, Shire, 1998 concentrating on British ceramics and covering
the main designers and makers, well illustrated
Glass
Arwas, Victor, The art of glass: art nouveau to art deco, Andreas Papadakis Publishing, 1996 includes biographies of the artists, beautifully illustrated and includes a glossary
Graphic design
Ercoli, Giuliano, Art deco prints, Phaidon; Christies, 1989 deals mainly with pochoir fashionprinting, very well illustrated.
Heller, Steven & Fili, Louise have written a number of works on art deco commercial graphicsrelating to individual countries, France, America, Holland, Italy, Spain, Germany and Britain, whichprovide a useful background to the subject. (Chronicle Books, 19938). Check the computercatalogue under the authors' names.
Kery, Patiricia Frantz, Art deco graphics, Thames & Hudson, 1986 a generously illustrated book,with sections on poster, magazine, book and commercial graphics such as packaging andwallpaper
Kery, Patiricia Frantz, Great magazine covers of the world, Abbeville Press, 1982 a substantial bookwhich covers all eras, includes an essay on the history of magazines and their covers
Powers, Alan, Front Cover : Great Book Jacket and Cover Design, Mitchell Beazley, 2001 anoverview of the subject covering a wider period than Art Deco
Tolmer, Alfred, Mise en page: the theory and practice of layout, The Studio, W.E. Rudge, 1931 anillustrated example from the era
Jewellery
Gabardi, Melissa, Art deco jewellery 19201949, Antique Collectors Club, 1989 a wellillustratedbook with essays on the background to the applied arts, the 1925 exhibition and jewelleryaesthetics
Raulet, Sylvie, Art deco jewelry, Thames & Hudson, 2002 includes essays on the high fashionParis designers, the 1930s and 1940s
Weber, Christianne, Art Deco Schmuck: die internationale Schmuckszene der 20er, Wilhelm HeyneVerlag, 2000 an indepth study, profusely illustrated
Painting
LucieSmith, Edward, Art deco painting, Phaidon, 1990 essays on different themes and genressuch as portraiture, the portrayal of everyday life, cubism, good colour illustrations, includesbiographies of artists
Sculpture
Arwas, Victor, Art deco sculpture, Academy Editions; St Martin's Press, 1992 an indepth coverageof the subject with biographies of the main artists, very well illustrated
Textiles and fashion
Battersby, Martin, Art deco fashion: French designers 1908–1925, Academy; St Martin's Press, 1974 Bowman, Sara, A fashion for extravagance: art deco fabrics and fashions,, Bell & Hyman, 1985 with
essays on the main designers of the period French art deco fashions in pochoir prints from the 1920s, Schiffer, 1998 illustrations from the
fashion journals of the era, with a commentary Day, Susan, Art deco and modernist carpets, Thames & Hudson, 2002 indepth and well
illustrated