Where can I find information about Art Deco history?

Question

I'm am doing a paper and presentation on the Art Deco style and history. I need some references to look at to find my information. Do you have any ideas other than Wikipedia?

Answer 1

I think the best way to begin a discussion of Art Deco is to contrast it with Art Nouveau. In its simplicity and modernity it was a conscious reaction against Art Nouveau; however, in its elegance and its appeal to an affluent and elitist vision of the world, in effect it carries forward and heightens the impact of Art Nouveau. For examples, see the glass work of Tiffany, then Lalique. A good beginning point to study this contrast is the essay of Richard Whitehouse, "Art Nouveau to Art Deco." [1]

Of course, you may want to read a simple, general history like that in the wikipedia article on Art Deco, but if I were you, I would go directly to the exposition internationale des arts Decoratifs et industriels modernes (1925), which after all provided the name (arts Decoratifs=Art Deco) and an international focus on the movement. You might check out the article, from a magazine about world fairs. [2] Here's a brief excerpt that captures the identiftying features of the movement:

"Art nouveau had favored a kind of sinuous grace in its lines – the grace of draped vines, or of the languid movements of exotic dancers. The Cubism of Braque, Gris, and Picasso, though, heralded a new taste for abrupt angularity. Translated in to the decorative arts of furniture, clothing, and architecture, this abruptness was smoothed into a sleekness of line that we now call streamlined. 'All that clearly distinguished the older ways of life was rigorously excluded from the exposition of 1925,' wrote Waldemar George. The new style would be aggressively modern, taking its lead from the avant-garde in the other arts in expressing a new spirit of the age."

Finally, for references to lots of specific artists in chronological order (and the study of actual artists is ultimately the only way to go), you may want to check out ArtCyclopedia [3]. The links to specific artists here will provide a beginning and suggest more directions than you probably have time to go. I would recommend especially Rene Lalique (glass maker), William Van Alen (architecture), Walter Teague (industrial design, e.g. cameras, autos, etc.), Paul Manship (sculptor), and Erte (painting).

Good luck, and enjoy!

Answer 2

try http://www/retropolis.net/history.html/