The term art deco means different things to different people. To purists for instance it implies opulent Parisian furnishings. To students of modernism, on the other hand it suggests minimalism in design. To romantics the term recalls glittering Manhattan skyscrapers. And to the aficionados of industrial art, it evokes memories of the Bakelite radio.

Far from being a school of design that is characterized only by geometric forms, or by lavishly decorated surfaces, stylized flowers, lithe females and animal figures, vivid colors and the like, Art deco is a multi faceted style for all the seasons and for all the tastes.

The school of luxuriant French design which reached its peak at the 1925 Paris world’s fair – the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes, whence the term Art deco is derived – generally considered pure, high style Art deco. Over the years however the output of other schools and countries of the so-called ‘machine age’ has come to be covered by this catch-all term which incidentally, was not current during the period and did not begin to be used until the 1960’s.

The parameters of Art deco, have expanded to include a wide array of modern Western architecture, design, decoration, graphics, motifs, products and even fine art dating approx 1910 to 1939- with the world fair at New York acting as an endpoint of all sorts.