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What is Art Deco: characteristics, painting, meaning...

On the occasion of the launch of our new Cavalier jewelry collection jewelry inspired by the Art Deco stylewe tell you what Art Deco is and everything about this very special style.

Discover with LAVANI the characteristics of Art Deco and more about what Art Deco is.

As many of you know, in LAVANI we design and create our jewelry from scratch. For the Cavalier collection we wanted to create something different and with a lot of personality. And what better way than to be inspired by Art Deco with its paintings, its architecture and all the Art Deco elements that have marked not only times but also cities, design styles and much more.

When it came to designing it, we had to inform ourselves very well about this movement and now we want to pass on to you all the information we have collected, we are all experts on the subject!

Let's start with the post! Read on to find out all about Art Deco.

 

1. Characteristics of Art Deco: what is Art Deco and its meaning

Art Deco is a movement that was born between the 1920s and 1930s.

What is Art Deco: meaning

 Actually, more than a movement, when we refer to the meaning of Art Deco we are talking about a decorative and design style with a unique elegance and very refined, without being too strident.

Although it was born in Paris, it quickly spread throughout Europe, from where it was transmitted to the United States. Once there, the West Coast, especially the California area, reflected it in many different Art Deco elements, as the Hollywood industry, booming at the time, took this style as a reflection of its glamour.

His influence was so great that today there are many areas of study with Art Deco influences: from painting, through architecture and graphic design to sculpture.

Art Deco characteristics and elements

Characteristics of Art Deco

This architectural and design style has very marked characteristics. When we see Art Deco elements, we can recognize them very quickly.

- Classic but eclectic style

- Symmetry and geometry

- Orderly curves and straight lines

- Simplicity > Eccentricity

- Varied bright colors

- Strong female characterization

Read on to discover more about each area of Art Deco.

Art Deco style in painting

 

2. Art Deco painting

As we have mentioned, the Art Deco style is characterized by its eclecticism, which is also reflected in Art Deco painting. Art Deco paintings are heterogeneous and avant-garde: we can find from more realistic Art Deco paintings to much more geometric works, like the image you have seen above.

Examples of the Art Deco style in architecture

 

3. Art Deco architecture

The Art Deco style in architecture was really marked. It could be said that architecture was the area where the Art Deco style was most reflected. With sharp lines and stylized, geometric shapes, as well as fine decorative elements, the Art Deco architectural style does not go unnoticed. We show you below some of the most characteristic buildings:

Chrysler Art Deco Building

Art Deco architecture reflected in the Chrysler Building in New York.

Empire State Art Deco

Art Deco architecture at the Empire State Building in New York City

Los Angeles City Hall Art Deco

Art Deco architecture in Los Angeles city hall building in Los Angeles

Palais de Chaillot Paris Art Deco

Art Deco architecture at Chaillot Palace in Paris

4. Art Deco posters

As we have already mentioned, the Art Deco style, although it was well recognized in architecture, had a great expansion to other areas. And the expansion of the style was such that we can even find numerous Art Deco posters. The signage of the time was strongly influenced by Art Deco and we can find from Art Deco posters to advertise movies to covers of the famous Vogue magazine.

Vogue Art Déco

Here are some of our favorite Art Deco Vogue covers, which reflect the changing importance and role of women at the time.

Vogue covers reflecting the Art Deco graphic design style

 

5. Art Deco sculpture

Sculpture in the 1920s and 1930s was also strongly influenced by Art Deco. We can find elements of Art Deco in sculpture especially from 1925 onwards. The most characteristic part of Art Deco in sculpture can be seen in the use of luxury metals such as gold or silver in sculpture, mixed with elements of classical sculpture such as bronze.

Example of Art Deco sculpture

 

6. Art Deco Design and Art Deco Graphic Design

If I tell you about the movie The Great Gatsby, you can surely get a better idea about the Art Deco design style. Art Deco in graphic design had a great impact: clean lines and daring designs that gave rise to that unique Art Deco design style.

As we have mentioned before, Art Deco mixes many different influences and styles, trying to embrace the modernism of the new years and the industrialization of the time. That is why Art Deco graphic design is perceived as something totally different from what had been done before.

The colors in Art Deco can be defined as vibrant, varied and rich, with many references to gold as well, to demonstrate that part of luxury that characterizes Art Deco.

Graphic Art Deco design style on advertising posters

 

7. Art Deco elements

Although we have already described many characteristics of Art Deco, there are some Art Deco elements that cannot be missed:

Style of decorative Art Deco elements

Art Deco Elements with Chevron or Zigzag Pleats

There is a style of folds, designs or patterns with Chevron or Zigzag Pleats that we have seen several times. This is an Art Deco element quite often repeated in different areas.

Art Deco Elements with Trapezoidal Shapes

Trapezoidal shapes are other Art Deco elements that are very common, present in architectural elements, painting, sculpture, design...

Art Deco elements as frames

Art Deco frames are really one of the most recognizable Art Deco elements for everyone. With geometric style and in the purest style of the Great Gatsby, the Art Deco frames are present in signage, architecture... and with a lot of gilding!

 

8. Art Déco: the most important artists

Some of the most important Art Deco artists are Federico Beltran Masses or Vadim Meller with their paintings in this style, or Tamara de Lempicka, a Polish painter who gives her name to one of the Art Deco jewels of our Cavalier collection.

Art Deco: the most important designers and architects

Some of the most important Art Deco architects are Albert Laprade or William van Allen, the architect of the Chrysler building that gives its name to one of the jewels of our Cavalier collection. It is also worth mentioning Art Deco designers Harriet Messerole or Pierre Morgue, creators of some of the Vogue covers we have shown you above.

 

Art Deco Jewelry

How eager we were to get here! Once you see all the elements of the Art Deco style, the Art Deco jewelry in our new collection makes even more sense. Taking the color palette of the Art Deco graphic design style and the gilding so characteristic of the era reflected in our gold plating, Cavalier contains many elements in these Art Deco jewels. Discover below the inspiration and design process of some of the most characteristic models of the collection.

Jewelry inspired by Art Deco architecture

Jewelry with Art Deco-inspired poster elements

Jewelry inspired by elements of Art Deco Architecture

Earrings inspired by Art Deco geometric shapes in painting

Some of the inspirations for the Art Deco jewelry in the collection come directly from elements, buildings or works of the period, as you have seen.

VIEW ART DECO JEWELRY COLLECTION

 

And that's it! We have given you a master class on the Art Deco style and its defining characteristics, now you can't miss our Cavalier!

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