The emergence of Art Deco arose in 1920s. There was tension between functionalists and decorators, and functionalists valued simplicity, mass production, and design that would serve the common person. Decorators valued craftsmanship and the elite market and were not concerned with social theory. Art Deco originated in France and it came to the US at the beginning of World War 2. The style was very fashion-oriented and strongly decorative. It was influenced by Art Nouveau.
The prominent design of Art Deco would consist of zigzags, a folding screen, large mirrors, and certain light fixtures. The materials used were often Ebony, zebrawood with irony, leather and polished metals, and glass. This can easily be seen in the 1925 World's Fair in Paris. It was after World War One and it was a showcase for interior design. It consisted of furniture, lamps, textiles, accessories and they all had sharply angled and cube forms. They're made of aluminum and glass, and there were zigzag shapes that would relate to the technology at the time, such as electricity and radios.
Women started to be featured in this art movement such as Eileen Gray. Her focus was on luxury and geometric lines and she would study and apply lacquer techniques within furniture. The furniture was mass-produced and the interiors of the furniture were covered with simple materials with a focus on tribal artwork. She would go on to design different furniture, such as the Bibendum armchair, the Transat Chair, the smoking table and more.
One Step Further: Jacques-Emile Ruhlman
Ruhlmann was a key contributor to the world of interior design. He was one of the first artists to showcase his work in alongside other craftsman and designers, specifically geared to complement one another, his works allowed potential buyers to visualize an overall environment rather than just a singular object. The modern era and arts and crafts movement utilized symbols, shapes, geometric designs, and nature, but Ruhlmann used these techniques modestly. He preferred to introduce exotic materials in which the natural patterns and properties would create the final result. He strived to not only show his own furniture but the works of others so that people can see how different designs can coexist.
One of his furniture designs is the corner cabinet. This furniture feature two straight sides with a curved front making it easy to fit into a corner hence the name. The front can open to reveal three removable shelves which provide a lot of use for the owner. The cabinet als has three legs whereas most furnture has 4. The corner cabinet is a good example of Emile using exotic materials for his design. Kingwood was used for its natural pattern and it was strengthed by tones of mahogany. Ivory was used to ceate the floral design in the front and ivory was used to decorate the cabinet as a whole in different places such as the top and two of the legs.
Good blog Jacob! You covered a lot about Art Deco, and I think you wrote about it very well. You also did a great job talking about Jacques-Emile Ruhlman and the pictures of his furniture correlate well with the general Art Deco style.
ReplyDeletegreat post! The detail you give on Art deco helps people understand the style! It was also very interesting to read further into Jacques Ruhlmann and how he contributed to the style.
ReplyDeleteWell done! 50/50
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