Book Description
Treasured Art Deco objects are showcased in this superb guide to a fascinating movement that flourished during the 1920s and 1930s, reaching into every sphere of decorative arts design throughout Europe and the United States. Gleaned from precious private collections and the archives of the world-famous Christie's auction house, the objects surveyed range from posh furniture, sleek sculpture, and bold architectural detailing to imaginative ceramics, luxurious jewelry, innovative metalwork, and powerful posters. For decorative arts enthusiasts, collectors, designers, and students, this introductory overview and ongoing reference source opens the door to one of the most influential design periods of the twentieth century. Each chapter's thematic approach considers a particular decorative art and focuses on key players in that field: Lalique and his extraordinarily sinuous glassware and Clarice Cliff and her distinctively shaped and colored ceramics are two of the many notable artists who set standards for design excellence that endure to this day. The author's scholarly text traces the development of Art Deco in each design area and within the broader historical context of an era marked by the quest for a lifestyle filled with speed and opulence.


About the Author
Fiona Gallagher, the author of Christie's Art Nouveau, is an authority in the field of decorative arts, with special expertise in twentieth-century movements. She lives in South London.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

When in 1930 William Van Alen, architect of the Chrysler Building in New York, chose to 'pierce the sky, not just reach up and scrape it' with his Art Deco design, he embodied the spirit of the age in a time when everything in the arts was expected to be higher, faster and more dynamic than ever before." "Today affordable art pieces are within the grasp of many collectors and in this review of the period specialists from Christie's Twentieth Century Decorative Arts Department provide their expert knowledge in the consideration of subjects such as furniture, jewellery, silver and metalwork, and advertising art. In addition, biographies of every key participant in Art Deco design are provided; from the traditionalist Emile-Jacques Ruhlmann, to Clarice Cliff with her vibrant colour palette, Paul-Emile Brandt with his opulent accessory designs, and the avant-garde Le Corbusier." "Illustrated with images from Christie's archives, the exuberance of this truly cosmopolitan age in design history is justly celebrated. Its dynamic spirit is captured in images of striking Japanese ceramics, vibrant Swiss poster designs, exquisite French glass and the striking boldness of American architectural detailing." "This is an essential book for all collectors and enthusiasts of Art Deco.

SYNOPSIS

Treasured Art Deco objects are showcased in this superb guide to a fascinating movement that flourished during the 1920s and 1930s, reaching into every sphere of decorative arts design throughout Europe and the United States. Gleaned from precious private collections and the archives of the world-famous Christie's auction house, the objects surveyed range from posh furniture, sleek sculpture, and bold architectural detailing to imaginative ceramics, luxurious jewelry, innovative metalwork, and powerful posters. For decorative arts enthusiasts, collectors, designers, and students, this introductory overview and ongoing reference source opens the door to one of the most influential design periods of the twentieth century.

Each chapter's thematic approach considers a particular decorative art and focuses on key players in that field: Lalique and his extraordinarily sinuous glassware and Clarice Cliff and her distinctively shaped and colored ceramics are two of the many notable artists who set standards for design excellence that endure to this day. The author's scholarly text traces the development of Art Deco in each design area and within the broader historical context of an era marked by the quest for a lifestyle filled with speed and opulence.


About The Author

Fiona Gallagher, the author of Christie's Art Nouveau, is an authority in the field of decorative arts, with special expertise in twentieth-century movements. She lives in South London.

FROM THE CRITICS

Library Journal