French art deco

Title:

French art deco

Title:

French art deco

Personal Author:

Goss, Jared.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.)

Publication Information:

New York : Metropolitan Museum of Art ; New Haven : Distributed by Yale University Press, c2014.

ISBN:

9781588395252 (Metropolitan Museum of Art)

OCLC#:

ocn875644169

Language:

English

Subjects:

Art deco -- France -- Catalogs.

Art -- New York (State) -- New York -- Catalogs.

Metropolitan Museum of Art (New York, N.Y.) -- Catalogs.

Summary:

The French Art Deco style, which encapsulates the complex, modern sensibilities of the early 20th century, is epitomized by the French works exhibited at the Paris 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriales. The exquisite craftsmanship and artistry of the dazzling works displayed spoke to a sophisticated modernity, yet they were rooted in tradition. Interest in Art Deco has not only endured to the present day, but has grown steadily, and the style is now better known and more collected than ever before. This volume provides an introduction to the historical backdrop for the Art Deco movement and outlines the most salient aspects of the aesthetic. It includes generous quotes from contemporary writings.

Format:

Book

Length:

ix, 270 p. :

Copies:

Available:*

Collection	Call Number	Status	Item Holds
Non-Fiction	709.04 GOS	Searching... Unknown	Searching... Unavailable

Bound With These Titles

On Order

Summary

An essential survey of French Art Deco, with alluring photographs that render it an art object in its own right

The French Art Deco style, which encapsulates the complex, modern sensibilities of the early 20th century, is epitomized by the French works exhibited at the Paris 1925 Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriales. The exquisite craftsmanship and artistry of the dazzling works displayed spoke to a sophisticated modernity, yet they were rooted in tradition. Interest in Art Deco has not only endured to the present day, but has grown steadily, and the style is now better known and more collected than ever before.

This informative publication provides an introduction to the historical backdrop for the Art Deco movement and outlines the most salient aspects of the aesthetic. Sumptuous, all-new photography features over one hundred masterpieces, created by forty-five artists, from the Metropolitan Museum of Art's renowned collection. Each chapter focuses on a specific designer, and includes a biography and discussions of the objects, enlivened by generous quotes from contemporary writings. As one of the only English volumes devoted to French Art Deco, this is a significant contribution to the study and appreciation of the style.

Published by The Metropolitan Museum of Art/Distributed by Yale University Press

Author Notes

Jared Goss is an independent scholar and former associate curator in the Department of Modern and Contemporary Art at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.

Reviews (4)

Choice Review

This impressively packaged volume is the outgrowth of Masterpieces of French Art Deco, a 2009-2011 installation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Former MMA curator Goss provides an informative guided tour of highlights from the museum's collection, substantial parts of which were acquired as early as 1925. Forty-six entries of varying length demonstrate that French Art Deco was less a consistent style than a movement that promoted luxury goods embodying both modernity and historical precedent as a means to reassert French design authority. Among the artisans and craftsmen (all men save one) and furnishing houses (ensembliers) profiled here are names that are obscure today and others that are familiar: potter René Buthaud; painter and designer Raoul Dufy; metalsmith Jean Dunand; decorative painter and sculptor Jean Dupas, creator of remarkable glass panels that once graced the legendary luxury liner Normandie; the furnishing partnership of Louis Süe and André Mare; and the celebrated house of Ruhlmann. Goss's eminently readable entries weave together artist biographies, object histories and analyses, snippets of period commentary and opinion, and information about patronage, provenance, and MMA acquisition. Joseph Coscia Jr.'s magisterial photographs of museum objects appear throughout. An attractive and substantive addition to the English-language literature of French Art Deco. Summing Up: Recommended. Upper-division undergraduates through researchers/faculty; general readers. --Kenneth L. Ames, Bard Graduate Center

Library Journal Review

This elegant, stunning, and informative catalog for a recent exhibition at the New York Metropolitan Museum of Art (Met) provides detailed historical information on 70 objets d'art, as well as biographical summaries of their creators. It begins with a colorful, dynamic essay on the origins of French art deco, placing it in historical context with other movements. A very brief summary of French art deco holdings in the Met's collections follows. The catalog takes up the largest portion of the work and is arranged alphabetically by artist. The descriptions of the works included, along with the numerous historical photographs and drawings, transport the viewer back in time to the era of their creation and the magnificence of the artwork is enhanced. VERDICT This marvelous glimpse into French art history is worth the price and will be of value to researchers in the field, students of design and decorative arts, and French culture enthusiasts. A masterpiece for collections specializing in the decorative arts and architecture. Stephen Allan Patrick, Jonesborough, TN (c) Copyright 2014. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.