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| Art Deco Emerald and Diamond Ring, Art Deco Emerald and Diamond Earrings, and Art Deco Sapphire, Emerald, and Diamond clip |
No one overuses the term Art Deco like the sellers on Etsy (myself included). It has come to mean any vintage item that is of quality or has filigree. But what exactly is Art Deco? And what, if any, items actually qualify for that name?
The name Art Deco came from an international art exposition in 1925 where the style was first exhibited (the Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes). If you type the name into Google it comes back with "the predominant decorative art style of the 1920s and 1930s, characterized by precise and boldly delineated geometric shapes and strong colors, and used most notably in household objects and in architecture."
While arguments can be made for scrolling lines and natural motifs that show up around the Art Deco period they are not, strictly speaking, art deco.
But why bother? Why define it at all? Language is a fluid construct. The way we choose to define something changes with the times. Should Art Deco change its definition as well? I might have said yes had I not found a single piece shown in the right of the banner.
You see the genius of Art Deco was in using simple lines and simple colors to achieve a beauty Blocks and circles combined to make something completely unique. Using the term to describe any vintage item from that time period doesn't just do in an injustice to the actual Art Deco pieces, it also belittles the design shown in the mislabeled ones which ave their own design eras worthy of being recognized.
So maybe Art Deco shouldn't be a catch all term.
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