Art Deco’s immediate ancestor, Art Nouveau, had been the preceding art movement from roughly 1890 to 1914. Art Nouveau drew inspiration from nature, using shapely lines and intricate designs. Its influence showed up in jewelry, graphic design, and architecture. In contrast, Art Deco can be seen as a reaction to Art Nouveau, taking its inspiration from the modern industrial world by streamlining and using blocky forms, like chevrons. The 1930s Art Deco style was also reflective of the times; after a horrid war, people desired to express themselves, hoping for a brighter future, while the dark times of World War Two loomed on the distant horizon.
What Political Climate Shaped Art Deco?
The Great War changed Europe politically, culturally, and economically. Wartime austerity left little consideration for other pursuits, but it gave way to a decade of exuberance and wealth. As the economy and the stock market grew, so did the Art Deco movement. Its influence appeared in different areas of industry, such as in new mass-produced plastics. Art Deco’s goal was to create appealing objects for everybody. The 1920s helped to refine Art Deco, so by 1930, the influence of Art Deco had spread far and wide, touching on all aspects of culture in Europe and America.
What Did Art Deco Architecture Look Like?
The Chrysler Building, completed in 1930, is a prime example of Art Deco architecture. It was a very distinctive addition to the New York City skyline, with its easily recognizable sunburst patterned spire. In an architectural first, the designers used stainless steel on the building’s exterior. Inside, the designers included geometric shapes or even radiator caps with wings, a Chrysler trademark.
Art on Wheels: How Did Cars Change?
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During the 1920s and 1930s, cars, like buildings, often showed styles reflective of the decade. Whether big-name companies like the Lincoln Zephyr or smaller companies, they produced masterpieces that melded industrial form and practicality.
The Chrysler Airflow, introduced in 1934, displayed the new Art Deco style. Instead of the car’s traditional boxy structure that increased wind resistance, the Airflow’s streamlined body reduced it significantly. Few parts of the vehicle protruded, with most incorporated in the car’s body. From the hood ornament to the Airflow’s dashboard, and the tapered rear, Chrysler used Art Deco influence to create a modern, flowing car.
When first marketed, not many Americans liked its appearance, but it proved popular in Europe. However, it drew enough criticism for Chrysler to make changes for the next model year.
How Did Art Deco Influence the Modern Home?
Art Deco defined luxury through expensive materials like brass, chrome, or marble, while still valuing functionality. This outlook can be seen in interior spaces, furniture, and household objects. For example, storage spaces were built into the walls, increasing the room’s usable space, and lights were encased in sconces to blend into the wall.
Furniture made in the Art Deco style initially catered to a wealthier crowd using materials like teak and ivory inlays. By the thirties, mass production shared this aesthetic with the middle class, re-creating the style in more affordable materials. In living rooms, furniture consisted of low-back couches and coffee tables featuring bright colors and unusual, curving or angular shapes. In Europe, Emile Jacques Ruhlmann became known for his high-quality use of inlays in his designs. In America, Norman Bel Geddes was recognized for his elegant, subtly angular forms.
Did Art Deco Appear on the Rails?
Perhaps unsurprisingly, given its emphasis on the gloss of industry, Art Deco made its way into railway companies. Engines and train cars in streamlined, industrial Art Deco designs appeared throughout much of Europe and the US. These aerodynamic models combined traditional block steam engine shapes with modern, pared-back geometry to create sleek-looking, functional locomotives. Henry Dreyfus created the famed New York Central Mercury locomotive. Other companies built similar trains with a shovel-like wedge in front, giving them the same flowing look.
Travel by train during the 1930s was supposed to be luxurious and relaxing. Many passenger cars hitched to trains contained sleeping quarters built with wood and elegant materials in the Art Deco style. Pullman, for example, famous for its stylish designs, built rail cars with highly distinctive Art Deco interiors.
