Encompassing developments in decorative arts, design, and architecture, Art Deco emerged in France in the 1920s and quickly spread across Europe and the United States. Art Deco is characterized by the use of geometric patterns and an emphasis on modern technology. Moving away from previous styles that had nostalgically embraced neo-classical motifs, Art Deco made use of triangles, chevrons, and squares: all hard-edged, ultra-modern shapes. Despite the machine-age aesthetic, Art Deco objects were most often crafted by hand. Cubism and the Bauhaus, both contemporaneous movements, heavily influenced the development of Art Deco.

In architecture, an iconic example of Art Deco is New York’s Chrysler Building, an elegant, geometric tower built between 1928 and 1930, and designed by William Van Alen. Other examples of Art Deco architecture can be found across the United States and Europe, notably in Los Angeles, Chicago, and Paris. The Art Deco style could be seen in consumer products as well, such as cars, household appliances, furniture, and textiles. Geometric Art Deco jewelry became extremely popular between the World Wars, and was produced by René Lalique, Cartier, Jean Fouquet, and many others. Further artists who worked in the Art Deco style are Jan and Joel Martel, Jean Dunand, Jacques Le Chevallier, and graphic designer Edward McKnight-Kauffer.