The origin of the term Art Deco
Where does the term Art Deco originate?
Art Deco is a style that shaped design, architecture, and decorative arts in the early 20th century, but what many don’t know is the origin of its name.
The term "Art Deco" comes from the International Exposition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts held in Paris in 1925, a key event in defining this style. Initially, the expression "Art Deco" was used as an abbreviation for "Arts Décoratifs," which referred to decorative arts in French.
However, the name did not spread immediately: at first, the exhibition was simply called "Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes."
The label "Art Deco" was adopted later, in the 1960s, when critics and art historians began to more clearly identify the distinct features of this style. Although it started as a simple abbreviation, its growing use helped solidify the idea that Art Deco was not just a movement related to decorative arts, but also to a time of great change, between the end of World War I and the beginning of World War II.
An important aspect is that this style not only celebrated modernity through geometric lines and stylized patterns but also a return to luxury and sophistication, a contrast to the austerity of the time.
Art Deco then evolved into an international phenomenon, embraced not only in Europe but also in America, where architecture and industrial design reinterpreted it.