‘Art Deco’ is epitomized by the French works exhibited at the Exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925. The exquisite craftsmanship and artistry of the dazzling works displayed spoke to a sophisticated modernity, yet were firmly rooted in tradition. Interest in Art Deco has not only endured to the present day, but has grown steadily, and the style is now more well-known and collected than ever before. This book draws on the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s significant French Art Deco holdings to present more than one hundred masterpieces made by forty-five designers. Sumptuous, atmospheric photos of the objects themselves accompany the text, making this not only one of the first explorations of French Art Deco in English, but a true objet d’art in its own right.

Table of Contents

Director’s Foreword • Acknowledgments • French Art Deco: An Overview • French Art Deco in The Metropolitan Museum of Art • Catalogue • Notes • Marks, Provenances, and References • Selected Bibliography