Notes

Art Deco emerged in Western Europe in the 1910s and 1920s and flourished in the United States throughout the 1930s. The name came from the celebrated 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris. Defining itself through streamlined, geometric forms such as chevrons, sunbursts, and zigzags, it embraced symmetry and bold ornamentation, conveying an embrace of the machine age and modern progress. Luxurious and innovative materials like chrome, stainless steel, Bakelite, marble, exotic woods, and glass became signatures of the style. Though it declined during World War II, Art Deco saw a revival in the 1960s and continues to influence contemporary fashion, interiors, graphic design, and architecture as an enduring symbol of elegance, modernity, and luxury.