Art Deco facts for kids

Art Deco is a style of decorative art, design and architecture of the 1920s and 1930s in Europe, the United States and other countries. It was named after an international exhibition held in Paris in 1925, but there are some examples dating back to before the First World War. Art Deco followed another design style, Art Nouveau, which was influenced by organic plant-like forms.
Art Deco was one of the first styles of modern architecture. It was influenced by different styles and movements of the early 20th century, Neoclassical, Constructivism, Cubism, Modernism, and Futurism. Later Art Deco of the mid to late 1930s is also sometimes called Streamline Moderne.
One idea behind art deco architecture was to apparently streamline buildings the same way you would streamline a car for aerodynamics. The style was much more common in commercial buildings than in houses; many banks, schools, and libraries were built in this style. Most of the public buildings built by the Works Progress Administration during the Great Depression are in the Art Deco style.
Examples
Famous Art Deco buildings include the Chrysler Building in New York City and the Chicago Board of Trade Building in Chicago. Another is Bullock's Wilshire in Los Angeles. Many art deco buildings have elaborate terra cotta or murals inside them. The towers of the Golden Gate Bridge have an art deco design.
Gallery
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Henryk Kuna, "Rytm" (Rhythm), Warsaw, Poland, 1925
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Disused Snowdon Theatre, Montreal
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Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio, 1933
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Niagara Mohawk Building, Syracuse, New York
Images for kids
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Lady with Panther by George Barbier for Louis Cartier, 1914. Display card commissioned by Cartier shows a woman in a Paul Poiret gown (1914)
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Stoclet Palace, Brussels, Belgium, by Josef Hoffmann (1905–11)
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Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, by Auguste Perret, 15 avenue Montaigne, Paris, France (1910–13). Reinforced concrete gave architects the ability to create new forms and bigger spaces.
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Antoine Bourdelle, La Danse, façade of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, Paris (1912)
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Interior of the Théâtre des Champs-Élysées, with Bourdelle's bas-reliefs over the stage
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Set design for Sheherazade (1910) by Léon Bakst
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Design for the facade of La Maison Cubiste (Cubist House) by Raymond Duchamp-Villon (1912)
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Raymond Duchamp-Villon, 1912, La Maison Cubiste (Cubist House) at the Salon d'Automne, 1912, detail of the entrance
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Stairway in the hôtel particulier of fashion designer-art collector Jacques Doucet (1927). Design by Joseph Csaky. The geometric forms of Cubism had an important influence on Art Deco
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The exoticism of the Ballets Russes had a strong influence on early Deco. A drawing of the dancer Vaslav Nijinsky by Paris fashion artist Georges Barbier (1913)
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Lobby of 450 Sutter Street, San Francisco, California, by Timothy Pflueger (1929), inspired by ancient Maya art
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The gilded bronze Prometheus at Rockefeller Center, New York City, N.Y., by Paul Manship (1934), a stylized Art Deco update of classical sculpture (1936)
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The boudoir of fashion designer Jeanne Lanvin (1922–25) now in the Museum of Decorative Arts, Paris, France
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Glass Salon (Le salon de verre) designed by Paul Ruaud with furniture by Eileen Gray, for Madame Mathieu-Levy (milliner of the boutique J. Suzanne Talbot), 9, rue de Lota, Paris, 1922 (published in L'Illustration, 27 May 1933)
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Postcard of the International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts in Paris, France (1925)
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The American Radiator Building, New York City, N.Y., by Raymond Hood (1924)
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Chrysler Building, New York City, by William Van Alen (1930)
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Crown of the General Electric Building (also known as 570 Lexington Avenue), New York City, by Cross & Cross (1933)
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30 Rockefeller Plaza, New York City, by Raymond Hood (1933)
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Empire State Building, New York City, by Shreve, Lamb & Harmon (1931)
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Lincoln Theater in Miami Beach, Florida, by Thomas W. Lamb (1936)
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High School in King City, California, built by Robert Stanton for the Works Progress Administration (1939)
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Detail of Time, ceiling mural in lobby of Rockefeller Center (New York City, N.Y.), by the Spanish painter Josep Maria Sert (1941)
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Art in the Tropics, mural in the William Jefferson Clinton Federal Building, Washington, D.C., by Rockwell Kent (1938)
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The gilded bronze Prometheus at the Rockefeller Center (New York City, N.Y.), by Paul Manship (1934), a stylized Art Deco update of classical sculpture (1936)
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Portal decoration Wisdom by Lee Lawrie at the Rockefeller Center (1933)
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Lee Lawrie, 1936–37, Atlas statue, in front of the Rockefeller Center (installed 1937)
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Mail Delivery East, by Edmond Amateis, one of four bas-relief sculptures on the Nix Federal Building, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (1937)
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Ralph Stackpole's sculpture group over the door of the San Francisco Stock Exchange, San Francisco, California (1930)
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Aerial between Wisdom and Gaiety by Eric Gill, façade of BBC Broadcasting House, London, UK (1932)
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Christ the Redeemer by Paul Landowski (1931), soapstone, Corcovado Mountain, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
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The Flight of Europa, bronze with gold leaf, by Paul Manship (1925) (Whitney Museum of American Art, New York City, N.Y., USA)
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Program for the Ballets Russes by Léon Bakst (1912)
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Peter Behrens, Deutscher Werkbund exhibition poster (1914)
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London Underground poster by Horace Taylor (1924)
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La Samaritaine department store in Paris, France, by Henri Sauvage (1925–28)
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Los Angeles City Hall by John Parkinson, John C. Austin, and Albert C. Martin Sr. (1928)
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Interior of the Palacio de Bellas Artes (Palace of Fine Arts) in Mexico City, Mexico (1934)
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Entrance of the Villa Empain in Brussels, Belgium (1930–34)
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National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan (1936)
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Mayakovskaya Metro Station in Moscow, Russia (1936)
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The Fisher Building in Detroit, Michigan, by Joseph Nathaniel French (1928)
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Lower lobby of the Guardian Building in Detroit by Wirt Rowland (1929)
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Lobby of 450 Sutter Street in San Francisco, California, by Timothy Pflueger (1929)
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Lobby of the Chrysler Building in New York City, N.Y., by William Van Alen (1930)
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Grauman's Egyptian Theatre in Hollywood (Los Angeles), California (1922)
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Four-story high grand lobby of the Paramount Theatre in Oakland, California (1932)
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Auditorium and stage of Radio City Music Hall in New York City, N.Y. (1932)
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Grand Rex in Paris, France (1932)
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Gaumont State Cinema in London, UK (1937)
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The Paramount in Shanghai, China (1933)
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The nautical-style rounded corner of BBC Broadcasting House in London, UK (1931)
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Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California (1936)
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The Marine Air Terminal at La Guardia Airport (1937) was New York City's terminal for the flights of Pan Am Clipper flying boats to Europe
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The Hoover Building canteen in Perivale in London's suburbs, by Wallis, Gilbert and Partners (1938)
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Elevator doors of the Chrysler Building (New York City, N.Y.), by William Van Alen (1927–30)
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Sunrise motif from the Wisconsin Gas Building (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) (1930)
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Detail of mosaic facade of Paramount Theatre (Oakland, California) (1931)
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Furniture by Gio Ponti (1927)
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Philips Art Deco radio set (1931)
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Bugatti Aérolithe (1936)
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Textile design Abundance by André Mare, (1911) (Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York City, USA)
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Cécile Sorel, at the Comédie-Française, 1920
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Coco Chanel in a sailor's blouse and trousers (1928)
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Mackay Emerald Necklace, emerald, diamond and platinum, by Cartier (1930) (Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History, USA)
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Stained glass windows at Amiens Cathedral by Jean Gaudin (1932-34)
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Cocktail set of chrome-plated steel by Norman Bel Geddes (1937)
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St. Peter's Cathedral in Rabat, Morocco (1938)
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Kologdam Building in Bandung, Indonesia (1920)
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Broadway Mansions in Shanghai, China (1934)
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National Diet Building in Tokyo, Japan (1936)
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Ankara railway station in Ankara, Turkey (1937)
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Dare House in Chennai, India (1940)
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Manchester Unity Building in Melbourne, Australia (1931–32)
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Sound Shell in Napier, New Zealand (1931)
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Elmslea Chambers in Goulburn, Australia (1933)
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Anzac Memorial in Sydney, Australia (1934)
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Holyman House in Launceston, Tasmania, Australia (1936)
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The Price Building in Quebec City, Canada (1930)
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Vancouver City Hall in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada (1935)
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Interior of the Palacio de Bellas Artes in Mexico City, Mexico (1934)
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The Verizon Building in New York City, N.Y., USA (1923–27)
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Bullocks Wilshire in Los Angeles, California, USA (1929)
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Louisiana State Capitol in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, USA (1930–32)
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Buffalo City Hall in Buffalo, New York, USA (1931)
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Jefferson County Courthouse in Beaumont, Texas, USA (1931)
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Niagara Mohawk Building in Syracuse, N.Y., USA (1932)
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Cincinnati Union Terminal in Cincinnati, Ohio, USA (1933)
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The Bacardi Building in Havana, Cuba (1930)
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The Plaza del Mercado de Ponce in Ponce, Puerto Rico (1941)
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Théâtre des Champs-Élysées in Paris, France (1910–13)
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Helsinki Central Station in Helsinki, Finland (1919)
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National Basilica of the Sacred Heart in Koekelberg (Brussels), Belgium (1919–69)
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The Mossehaus with Art Deco elements by Erich Mendelsohn in Berlin, Germany (1921–23)
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Éden Theater in Lisbon, Portugal (1931)
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Daily Express Building in Manchester, UK (1936–39)
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Mayakovskaya Station in Moscow, Russia (1938)
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Rivoli Theater in Porto, Portugal (1937)
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Lacerda Elevator in Salvador, Bahia, Brazil (1930)
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Kavanagh building in Buenos Aires, Argentina (1934–36)
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Viaduto do Chá in São Paulo, Brazil (1938)
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Central do Brasil Station in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil (1943)
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The Miami Beach Architectural District in Miami, Florida, protects historic Art Deco buildings
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The U-Drop Inn, a roadside gas station and diner on U.S. Highway 66 in Shamrock, Texas (1936), now a historic monument
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Smith Center for the Performing Arts in Las Vegas, Nevada, a neo-Art Deco building (2012)
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Guardians of Traffic pylon on Hope Memorial Bridge in Cleveland (1932)
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U.S. Works Progress Administration poster, John Wagner, artist, ca. 1940
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"Beau Brownie" camera, Walter Dorwin Teague 1930 design for Eastman Kodak
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Women's Smoking Room at the Paramount Theatre, Oakland. Timothy L. Pflueger, architect, 1931
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Lobby, Empire State Building, New York City. William F. Lamb, opened 1931
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Interior drawing, Eaton's College Street department store, Toronto, Ontario, Canada