*1Battersby, Martin; Edited by Garner, Philippe; The Encyclopedia Of Decorative Arts 1890—1940; Art Deco –The Triumph Of 1925; Chartwell Books Inc; 1988;
BRIEF HISTORY
He also suggested that: “It is barbarous to reproduce a Greek temple in Paris or in London, for a transplanted imitation of this monument revels an ignorance of the basic principles governing its construction, and ignorance is barbarism”. And by that, he clearly removed design and architecture, from the field of decoration. The triumph of 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative and Industrial Arts, held in Paris, inspired the development of the emerging style known today as Art Deco. The style was not so named during its existence, when it was referred to as Moderne or Contemporary for, as is usually the case, a definitive name was applied only long after in retrospect. Youth was the most accented characteristic of the generation of versatile designers, mostly in their early twenties who through the patronage and encouragement of Paul Poiret, created Art Deco.*1 Soon after, the appearance of several art movements contributed to the fall of Art Deco. These movements were Dada in Switzerland, De Stijl in Holland, Cubism in France, and Negro Art brought from the French colonies. And finally, the new and revolutionary furniture from Bauhaus began to replace the elegance of Art Deco. Closely related to the methods of industrial production was serial and mass production. Many everyday objects and variety of pieces of furniture were not produced as single pieces, but in large quantities. New distribution methods and increasing use of advertising have followed. The moral and social aspects of serial production also led to an aesthetic definition of design, which arrived especially through the theory of functionalism. The supporters of modernism and of functionalism assumed that the form of an object had only to suit its function and must not include any superfluous ornamentation. Also that, the industrial conditions of production, demanded a standardized, simple, geometric language of form in order to be able to produce good quality, durable products inexpensively, as was necessary for social reform. In 1908, the Viennise modernist architect Adolf Loos, made a strong statement that corresponds with the above, when he wrote the essay/manifesto “Decoration and Crime”.
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