Art Deco Jewelry Designs
Art Deco jewelry is one of the most exciting areas of modern art history between the time of the two World Wars. The Art Deco movement was primarily French and it was the first time jewelry designs changed since the 1800s.
Art Deco introduced geometrical forms and bright colors. The style caught on in both the USA and Europe. The two leading names were Jean Fouquet and Reymond Templier both of Paris in the 1920s.
Cubism and Abstraction
Art Deco jewelry has abstract qualities which started with the avant garde movements such as Cubism and other abstractions from reality. Jewelry design looked to the changes in painting and sculpture at the time as a way to change itself.
The idea of new and simple design using geometric forms were then used to create complex work in jewelry. Other abstract patterns from the ancient arts in Babylonia, Mayan, and Aztec cultures such as the ziggurat and temples soon became designs in jewelry.
New Stones and Shapes
Art Deco jewelry used metals and stones in designs that emphasized their contrasting effects. This gave the jewelry a vibrancy and interest when combined with diamonds and emeralds. Jewelers changed gem cutting to form new shapes like the baguette, trapezium, and square cut. They also used stones carved in the Orient that were engraved with figures, animals, fruit, flowers, and baskets.
The King Tut Factor
The discovery of King Tut's tomb and the huge publicity from it started a mania for ancient Egyptian Art and its clean style. Soon the Egyptian style of hieroglyphics and linear concepts found their way into Art Deco style jewelry.
Cheaper Materials
Costume jewelry came of age starting in the 1920s using inexpensive materials such as imitation stones and Bakelite. This made jewelry affordable to the general population. The pearl became a popular gem after the technique of producing cultured pearls in Japan lowered the price making them also affordable to wider audience.
High Point in the Movement
The United States held a more conservative view on these new styles in jewelry. They liked the trend toward lightness and economy but high end styles took a while to catch on. The 1925 Exposition is considered the high point in Art Deco design for jewelry. After wards, forms became bigger and massive. The colors were muted making black and white dominant. Soon, the spirit of the period gradually faded as the Depression grew and retailers either shut down or cut back operations. The influence of the Bauhaus in decorative arts had been felt.
Other Art of Interest to Art Deco Jewelry
Art Deco Furniture
The vintage Art Deco furniture movement started in France so design could abolish the curve and move away from foreign influences.
Web Gallery of Art
The Web Gallery of Art has Psychedelic art, Bicycle Art, King Kong Art, Photography Art, Lowrider Art, Graffiti Art, ASCII Art, Life Magazine Covers, and Landscape Art.
Psychedelic Art & Album Art
Psychedelic Art & Album Art advertised music and concerts and a lifestyle with LSD.
Bicycle Art
Bicycle Art started in paintings and posters but in reality includes the beauty of bikes themselves as artwork.
Life Magazine Covers
This collection of glamorous Life Magazine Covers has Robert Redford, Johnny Cash, Route 66, Christian Dior Dress, Ballroom Dancers for sale.
Photography Art
Photography Art has a rich history with Edward Steichen, Yousuf Karsh, and Aperture Magazine; today's digital cameras, stock agencies turn computers into "darkrooms".
Landscape Paintings
The landscape paintings art gallery features a variety of styles, places and colors that should not be missed.
King Kong Art
King Kong Art is inspired by the greatest monster in motion picture adventure movies. The final scene with Fay Wray on the Empire State building in New York is a classic.
Graffiti Art
Create your own colorful graffiti art by typing in your text and save the image to your computer free.
ASCII Art Gallery
The ASCII Art Gallery is more than symbols because it is communication in text and other ASCII art small messages that expressing emotions.
Lowrider Art
Big selection of lowrider art posters prints.
See Doug's Art
To check out artwork (including sexy shoes) by Doug Dourgarian and see more links for his online art gallery click here for his web gallery of art .
Click here to leave Art Deco jewelry for more links to artists and their online art galleries, art prints and art posters. Browse the links found at the bottom of Home Page.
Other Pages of Interest
Be sure to see more of Doug's Shoe Art in the High Heels Gallery .
The Andy Warhol Art information can be found on this page.
The California Art pages can be found on this page.
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