Art Deco Graphics

by Patricia Frantz Kery

Here is the first full-scale study of the dynamic graphic design created in the three decades before World War II, when economic and political upheaval mixed with a wild pursuit of gaiety, luxury, modernism, and elegance to produce a style that came to be known as Art Deco. Art Deco style grew in several distinct directions out of an extraordinarily rich cultural melting pot. Breaking sharply with its predecessor, Art Nouveau, Art Deco assimilated the ideas of the vibrant avant-garde art movements such as Cubism, Constructivism, and Futurism; the early modernist applied-arts groups like the Vienna Secession and Bauhaus; and the leading fashion designers—Paul Poiret, Coco Chanel, and others. A flavor of Orientalism from Diaghilev's sensational Ballets Russes; the influences of American jazz, primitive art, and Egyptian culture; and the new world of machines all contributed to the development of a design style that radically changed the way visual communication is perceived in most of the world. By the time the great Paris Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes opened in 1925, the masters of modern art—Picasso, Léger, Kandinsky, and others—had transformed the graphic arts. Their visual tactics—abstractions, multidirectional views, distortion, extreme contrasts, and striking color juxtapositions—were put to use by a rising generation of brilliant graphic designers such as Cassandre, Jean Carlu, Herbert Bayer, and E.McKnight-Kauffer to create superb graphics for both commerce and social purposes. With chapters on posters, magazines, commercial design, books, and fashion and costume, Art Deco Graphics is both a sourcebook and an inspiration for designers, illustrators, art directors, photographers, scholars, collectors, and anyone interested in the graphic style of one of the most exciting periods in history. 476 illustrations, 248 in color.

320 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 1986

Reviews

[Jesse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Pretty indepth history on the Art Deco period for graphics, but the author obviously has some biases and misses some major artists or mentions them in a condescending manner. Overall it is a pretty good reference book with some beautiful pictures to illustrate it. I do wish the author had gone a bit more into detail on some of the mechanics of how some of those art styles were done as they did with Pochoir technique since it is a book focusing on graphics and some of those printing techniques are nearly a lost art now.

[Nikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

All the great classics and a lot more to boot in this wonderful collection of Art Deco designs. You can see the influences of this period on modern-day designers - some of the pieces in this book look very familiar to winners of recent graphic design awards. I especially love the Vanity Fair covers. Made me want to pick up a pencil and start sketching!

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

You can really feel how much love Patricia Frantz Kery put in the making of this. Very recommendable!

[Jalu Wardhana · Rating 4 out of 5]

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