Art Deco: From 20th to 21st Century

The 1920s saw the birth of Art Deco, a striking design style inspired by the exotic imagery of African art, and various preceding 20th century styles, the most notable of which being Cubism and Constructivism. Not only did Art Deco permeate all areas of design but it influenced designers internationally. It remains a prevalent source of inspiration today, evident in fashion, jewellery, furniture, architecture, advertising  and graphic design.

Graphic Design: Art Deco from the 20th to the 21st Century 

20th Century Art Deco Typeface

21st Century Art Deco Typeface

20th Century Art Deco Poster

21st Century Art Deco Posters

Art Deco Jewellery Design in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Art Deco Artist Jeweller: Jean Dunund

For jewellery design, Art Deco was responsible for the emergence of the artist jeweller, who put artistic content before commercial value. For these jewellers, stones were no longer selected for their carat weight, but for their decorative and aesthetic value. Jewellery designs were characterised by bold geometric shapes, squared values, and sharp edges. The polygon, circle, and oval cast in gold, silver and crystal were often overlayed to create complex linear configurations. Such configurations are apparent in the jewellery designs of Jean Dunund circa 1925. He is renowned for his elongated geometric earrings and squared and sharp edged bracelets.

Art Deco Inspired Jeweller: Chhaya Kapadia

It is clear from jewellery designer Chhaya Kapadia’s designs that a central conceptual point of inspiration is founded in the Art Deco jewellery motifs of the 1920s. Like Jean Dunund, Kapadia uses bold geometric shapes to create a pair of elongated geometric earrings. Her bracelet also adopts Dunund’s preoccupation with squared values and the more common Art Deco collocation of geometric shapes, such as the oval, circle and square, to create visually interesting linear configurations. A comparison of Kapadia’s earrings with Jean Fouquet’s broach, circa 1925-9, provides another clear example of Kapadia’s Art Deco reference through her adoption of gold accented black onxy and diamonds, the materials used by Fouquet.

Sources:

Duncan, A. (2009) Art Deco Complete. London:Thames and Hudson Ltd.

Garbardi, M (1989) Art Deco Jewellery: 1920-1949. Suffolk: The Antique Collector’s Club Ltd.

Maya Jewels Online (2011) Art Deco Collections website, http://www.mayajewels.com 29th April, [date accessed].

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