How Art Deco got its name

One of the major design events of the 1920s, if not the most important, was "L'exposition Internationale des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes," which translates from French as "The International Exposition of Modern Industrial and Decorative Arts". This World's fair was held in Paris, France from April to October 1925.

The term Art Deco was derived by shortening the words Arts Décoratifs in the title of this exposition and described designs in terms of a broad decoratively "modern" style, influenced strongly by Decorative Cubism. One of the members of the Admission Committee for the jewellery department of this trailblazing fair was the maker of the pin we show here, Mr. George Fouquet.

George Fouquet (1862-1957) is recognized as one of the very few and best-known artist jewellers of his time. He won many international awards and worked closely together with artists of his era, like Alfons Mucha. George Fouquet's jewellery can be found in collections of many important museums all over the world; from the Victoria & Albert in London to The Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. He bequeathed his archive and designs to the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris.

The so-called jabot pin by George Fouquet we show here is as close as one can get to the source of pure Art Deco jewellery.

Click here to get to the descriptive page of this pin.

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