2023-02-01
Art déco developed in the years 1919-1939 and could be seen in fashion, art and architecture of the "crazy 1920s" and the Great Depression (1929-1933). This style skilfully balanced noble workmanship and attention to the usability of the objects made.
The designers of early art déco had clear intentions; they wanted to create an aesthetic that no one had seen before. They achieved full success, they propagated the so-called total style (covering with its influence all areas of 'classical' and applied arts).
The most important features of the new decorative art (from French arts décoratifs) certainly included the combination of tradition with modernity (e.g. by using new and already well-known building materials) and drawing from many cultures, especially often from European, Asian or ancient Egyptian art. However, in the foreground, the most prominent features of the new aesthetics were spatial discipline, the geometrization of forms and the distinction of the utilitarian object. What is worth mentioning, it is not right to say that the artists completely abandoned the principles of Art Nouveau, it should be remembered that also in the previous, famous style there was a geometrization and the artists wanted a "total" approach.
Some of the most famous examples of art déco architecture are the two skyscrapers in New York, the Chrysler Building and the Empire State Building. They feature ornate geometric details such as car patterns and gutters ending in an eagle's head. Both buildings were considered modern and elegant synonyms of luxury.
It seems that the most famous painting, perfectly showing the features of art déco is "Portrait in a Green Bugatti" by Tamara Łempicka from 1925. The viewer receives an image of a modern woman driving a car from the Polish artist, he sees geometrization (e.g. in the arrangement of the coat). However, the work was executed in the traditional technique of oil painting on a panel.
