Art Deco, sometimes called Deco, is a visual art, architecture and design style that first appeared in France before the First World War. Decorative arts have influenced the design of architecture, furniture, jewelry, fashion, automobiles, cinemas, and trains. , Ocean liners and daily necessities such as radios and vacuum cleaners. Its name is the abbreviation of Arts Décoratifs, taken from the Exposition internationale des Arts décoratifs et industriels modernes (International Modern Decoration and Industrial Art Exhibition) held in Paris in 1925. It combines modern style with fine craftsmanship and rich materials. In its heyday, the decorative arts represented luxury, charm, prosperity, and belief in social and technological progress.
From the beginning, the decorative arts were influenced by cubism and the daring geometric shapes of the Viennese secessionists. The bright colors of Fauvism and Russian ballet; the latest furniture crafts from the time of Luis Felipe I and Luis XVI; and the exotic styles of China and Japan, India, Persia, Ancient Egypt, and Mayan art. It features rare and expensive materials such as ebony and ivory and excellent craftsmanship. The Chrysler Building and other New York City skyscrapers were built in the 1920s and 1930s as Art Deco landmarks.
During the Great Depression of the 1930s, the decorative arts became more moderate. New materials arrive, including chrome, stainless steel and plastic. A more elegant style appeared in the 1930s, called Streamline Moderne. It has a curved shape and a smooth, polished surface. Art Deco was one of the first truly international styles, but its dominance ended with the beginning of World War II and the strict function and simplicity of modern architecture and the subsequent rise of international architectural styles.