Art Deco Prints & Posters ...

Art Deco prints reflect a style characterized by angular geometric shapes, zigzags, bold colors, molded or faceted Czech glass beads, plastics (like celluloid or Bakelite) and chrome, unlike the curves of the previous era. Also known as the geometric style that succeeded Edwardian jewelry beginning in the 1910s through the mid-1920s.

Colored stones were utilized more with opaque stones such as jade, onyx and coral were set in geometric shapes. Sleek animals such as Borzoi and Greyhound dogs were featured in some designs and one of the most recognizable art prints of the period. It started out with relatively delicate designs, and progressed to a more bold and blocky style also called Art Moderne.

Art Deco Originated in Paris

The term 'Art Deco' came from a Paris exposition in the mid-1920's that featured decorative arts, but in terms of architecture, its most notable hallmark was the "set-back". Skyscrapers were rising so fast, and setting new height records overnight, that cities, particularly New York City, decreed that additional floors could only be built if they were set back from the main wall. This creates a stepped pattern to the top of an element, either the building itself, or even a column on the side. There was another style, "Art Moderne" (modern art), which used horizontal streamlined lines, rather than Art Deco's vertical lines and bas relief decoration, but in common use "Art Deco" is applied to any post-Victorian style up to the 1950's.

Art Deco Prints Ideal for Home or Office

Art Deco artists include glassmaker Lalique, designer/painter Erte, painter Tamara de Lempicka, Cassandra and Icart. Art Deco prints are enjoyed in home decor in all rooms of the home. The progessive themes of Art Deco are ideally suited for a business environment such as a reception area, office or board room.