ART DECO: MISTAKEN IDENTITY

I love love love Art Deco.  And I think it’s probably the most confused style out there!

Often anything kind of old or ornamental is labeled Art Deco, but there are a couple of specific styles that are frequently confused with my favorite: Art Nouveau and Streamline Modern/Art Moderne.  That’s pretty confusing right there, a style with two names!

I adore these styles too.  Art Nouveau is so lovely, and real vintage pieces are fairly rare to come by, and as you will see it’s actually very different from Art Deco.  On the other hand, Streamline Moderne is easy to confuse with Art Deco.  I used to make that mistake myself…and if I’m being honest, I’ll still sometimes look at a piece and think “Deco!”

The confusion probably lies in the fact that these styles are all from the early twentieth century, and were considered modern in their day. They’ve been used in so many ways!  You’ll see them in architecture, interior design, product design, art, fashion and advertising. So maybe there’s a lot to mix up!

Let’s break it down, cheat sheet style…with plenty of pictures!

ART NOUVEAU 1890s-early 1900s

HISTORIC NOTES:

• The name was taken from the Parisian gallery, L’art Nouveau, owned by Siegfried Bing.
• Also known as Jugendstil, or young style, from the German magazine of the era, Jugend.
• Key influencers were Japanese art and the Arts and Crafts movement of the late nineteen century.
• Served as a transitional style between the Victorian eclectic revival styles and modern twentieth century styles.
• And here’s a nugget for fans of 1980s music: the band Kajagoogoo was originally known as Art Nouveau.

DEFINING STYLE POINTS:

• Curving, sinuous lines known as “whiplash” motif, that create a sense of movement
• Bulbous forms
• Nature subjects and motifs, particularly plants
• Usually asymmetrical
• Highly ornamented

DESIGNERS/ARTISTS OF NOTE:

• Emile Galle
• Carlo Bugatti
• Otto Wagner
• Gustav Klimt
• Alphonse Mucha

EXAMPLES OF ART NOUVEAU:

Notice the repeated whiplash (hair and vines) and nature motifs, the bulbous, undulating forms?  Kinda sexy, no?

ART DECO 1920s-1930s

HISTORIC NOTES:

• Named retrospectively from the L’Exposition International des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925, where the style was featured.
• During its heyday it was known by various names such as Jazz Modern or Jazz Style or Paris 25, harking to its association with the famous Expo.
• Born at a time of technological advance, Art Deco was a reaction to Art Nouveau: geometric forms and sharp angles replaced the fluid, undulating lines of the previous style.

DEFINING STYLE POINTS:

• Geometric shapes: circles/spheres, rectangles, zig zags
• Sometimes employed the motifs of ancient civilizations: Egyptian, Aztec, Incan and Middle Eastern
• Natural objects such as flowers, sunbursts or waterfalls took on a stylized geometric form
• Usually symmetrical
• Highly ornamented

DESIGNERS/ARTISTS OF NOTE:

• William van Alen
• Clarice Cliff
• George Barbier
• Erte
• Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann
• Paul Frankl
• Busby Berkeley

EXAMPLES OF ART DECO:

See how different Art Deco is from Art Nouveau?  It’s just as fancy, but swap out all the curves with angles.  Even the human form is angular, almost robotic…as we ushered in the Age of Technology.

STREAMLINE MODERNE or ART MODERNE 1930s-1950

HISTORIC NOTES:

• Closely related to Art Deco in overall form, but stripped of the expensive ornamentation.
• Inspired by advances in transportation (cars, ships, trains) and technology (speed, aerodynamics), buildings often resemble steamships.
• Seen as design for the masses.
• The style of choice for small businesses of the era.
• Architecture often featured glass tile known as Vitrolite or Cararra Glass, and enameled panels.

DEFINING STYLE POINTS:

• Smooth surfaces
• Horizontal emphasis
• Neutral colors with brighter accent colors
• Porthole-like features
• Minimal ornamentation

DESIGNERS/ARTISTS OF NOTE:

• Walter Dorwin Teague
• Norman Bel Geddes
• Raymond Loewy
• Gilbert Rohde

EXAMPLES OF STREAMLINE MODERNE:

Comparing Streamline Moderne to Art Deco we see the angles in a more general way, in the overall shape of a building or piece of furniture, but almost no ornamentation.  Things are very smooth and plain. Just as delicious, but with a different texture!

To sum it up:

Art Nouveau—curvy and ornate

Art Deco—geometric and ornate

Streamline Modern—geometric and plain

Now you’re an expert!

Is there a style near and dear to your heart, one that inspires or intrigues you?  Or maybe one that you find a little baffling? Personally, I love design and find something to love about most styles!  I believe when it comes to living in a space, mixing periods, old and new, makes for the most pleasing environment.  Share your thoughts in the comments below, or over on Facebook!

 

SOURCES:

The Art Story, Art Nouveau, http://www.theartstory.org/movement-art-nouveau.htm, accessed February 19, 2016.

The Met Museum, Timeline of Art History: Art Nouveau, http://www.metmuseum.org/TOAH/hd/artn/hd_artn.htm, accessed February 19, 2016.

Ontario Architecture, Building Styles: Machine Age or Art Moderne: 1930-1950, http://www.ontarioarchitecture.com/Artmoderne.htm, accessed February 19, 2016.

Troy, Nancy J. 1991. Modernism and the Decorative Arts in France: Art Nouveau to Le Corbusier. New Haven, CT and London, UK. Yale University Press.

Wikipedia, Streamline Moderne, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Streamline_Moderne, accessed February 19, 2016.

Wikipedia, Art Nouveau, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Art_Nouveau, accessed February 19, 2016.

Zaczek, Iain. 2000. Essential Art Deco. Bath, UK. Parragon Publishing.