The term Art Deco refers to a style that spanned the boom of the roaring 1920s and the bust of the Depression-ridden 1930s. It affected all forms of design, from the fine and decorative arts to fashion, film, photography, transport and product design. In 2003, the V&A hosted the major exhibition Art Deco: 1910-1939.
Art Deco
The term Art Deco, coined in the 1960s, refers to a style that spanned the boom of the roaring 1920s and the bust of the Depression-ridden 1930s. It was the style of the fl…
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Art Deco: Design Influences
Art Deco, like its forerunner Art Nouveau, was an eclectic style and drew on many sources. Designers sought to infuse jaded traditions with new life and to create a modern …
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Art Deco: Global Inspiration
In their creation of a modern style, Art Deco designers drew on distant and ancient cultures. The arts of Africa and East Asia provided rich sources of forms and materials.…
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Art Deco: The 1925 Paris Exhibition
Many international exhibitions helped promote Art Deco, but none was more important than the Paris Exhibition of 1925. Dedicated to modern decorative arts, the exhibition b…
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Art Deco: Exotic and Moderne
During the Art Deco period, the exotic touched every aspect of contemporary life. Motifs such as lotus flowers, tropical birds and animals, dancing girls and native figures…
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Art Deco around the World
Carried on the winds of commerce and capitalism, Art Deco spread quickly after 1925. A dynamic new age of communications ensured its global reach.
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Art Deco in America
The impact of Art Deco in America was extensive and profound. Knowledge of the new style spread rapidly as Europeans emigrated to the US and American designers travelled to…
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Art Deco Objects in Detail
A detailed look at a selection of Art Deco objects from the V&A's collections.
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Josephine Baker
Josephine Baker, international star of sensational, exotic cabarets including La Revue Nègre, and the infamous Folies Bergère in Paris and Berlin, was born on 3 June 1906 i…
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Art Deco Study Guide
A selection of material including bibliographies, lists of periodicals, exhibitions, and sales catalogues about Art Deco.
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A gift in your will
You may not have thought of including a gift to a museum in your will, but the V&A is a charity and legacies form an important source of funding for our work. It is not just the great collectors and the wealthy who leave legacies to the V&A. Legacies of all sizes, large and small, make a real difference to what we can do and your support can help ensure that future generations enjoy the V&A as much as you have.
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Art Deco London
Art Deco London written by Colin Hines, designed by Keith Cheetham, with photographs by Paul Riddle is the first ever guide book to the 20's and 30's …
Buy nowEvent - Introducing Art Deco
Sat 18 May 2013 14:00
STUDY DAY: Discover the delights of Art Deco, the most distinctive of the inter-war styles.
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