Even those of us who are not architectural experts will easily recognise the distinctive lines of Art Deco buildings. They represented the aspirations for a brighter future after the horrors of the First World War. Art Deco reflected the new industrial age and gave a nod to transatlantic ships and ancient civilisations. That might not at first seem like a perfect marriage, but the style worked and is still admired in the 21st century. Art Deco City: The World’s Most Beautiful Buildings tells the story.
The Art Deco style gained prominence in the 1920s and turns up on office façades in New York and factory buildings in London. But architects and designers around the world embraced the movement and the author, Arnold Schwartzman, has collected wonderful examples in Art Deco City: The World’s Most Beautiful Buildings.
Everyday life emerges in concrete friezes
This is a full-colour coffee-table book with sumptuous photography of, obviously, buildings but also all those details which embellished those structures. There are letterboxes, murals, stained glass windows, lamps and metalwork. All grand pieces, but these were mimicked in smaller items more suited to the home. Everyday life emerges in concrete friezes, and even items of contemporary ’20s fashion put in an appearance.
Art Deco City: The World’s Most Beautiful Buildings encapsulates an era which has stood the test of time. It’s a book to dip into and will be especially enjoyed by those who have travelled and actually visited some of these structures so divinely illustrated. It’s a charming volume brimming with striking photography.
Art Deco City: The World’s Most Beautiful Buildings
Author: Arnold Schwartzman
Published by: Palazzo Editions Ltd
Price: £30.00
ISBN-13: 978-1786750419