An introduction to Art Deco
An introduction to Art Deco
Playful, luxurious, exotic, geometric, modern – Art Deco's myriad of influences and characteristics has created some of the most distinctive design of the 20th century
Spanning the boom of the roaring 1920s through to the bust of the Depression-ridden 1930s, Art Deco drew on timeworn traditions while simultaneously celebrating the modern, mechanised world. This extraordinary blend of tradition and progress, combined with a lively eclecticism, is found throughout the V&A's Art Deco objects.
The Art Deco objects in the V&A collections span furnishings, ceramics, glassware, metalwork, fabrics, prints and fashion. Decorative elegance and exquisite craftsmanship is displayed through the works of Clarice Cliff, Frank Lloyd Wright, Rene Lalique, Emile-Jaques Ruhlmann and Jeanne Lanvin, providing lively insight into the development of one of the world's first truly global design movements.
An introduction to Art Deco
Playful, luxurious, exotic, geometric, modern – Art Deco's myriad of influences and characteristics has created some of the most distinctive design of the 20th century
Art Deco: René Jules Lalique
René Jules Lalique was an exceptional artist, astute industrialist, and a driving force of the Art Deco style
Art Deco: Clarice Cliff
Discover how Clarice Cliff's bold, Art Deco ceramics brought modernity to the kitchen sink
Art Deco in the home
From luxury handcrafted writing desks to affordable factory-made tea services, discover Art Deco in the home
Art Deco fashion
From Jeanne Lanvin's haute couture to the bold geometric jewellery of Raymond Templier, discover the Art Deco aesthetic in the fashions of the 1920s and 1930s
Art Deco around the world
The impact of Art Deco was far-reaching, carried on the winds of commerce and capitalism, new modes of communication, media and transport
Art Deco's global influences
Art Deco designers drew inspiration from across the globe, referencing archaeological discoveries, historical romanticism and the imagery of ancient cultures
Art Deco: where tradition meets modernity
Art Deco's extraordinary blend of tradition and progress is the essence of works by John Skeaping, Eileen Gray and René Lalique
Madeleine Vionnet – an introduction
Couturier Madeleine Vionnet changed the shape of women's fashion with her revolutionary 'bias-cutting' technique
Art Deco printmakers
Explore some of our evocative Art Deco prints and posters by master printmakers of the period
Background image: Frieze panel, designed by Walter Gilbert, made by Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Art, 1933, England. Museum no. M.262-1984. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London Frieze panel (detail), designed by Walter Gilbert, made by Bromsgrove Guild of Applied Art, 1933, England. Museum no. M.262-1984. © Victoria and Albert Museum, London