ART DECO MEDALS

The now commonly used term "art deco'"was introduced in the 1960s
to refer to the decorative style in Europebetween the two world wars.
The name "art deco" derives from the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs, held in Paris in 1925.
It covers a multitude of styles influenced by the arts of Africa,
of the Aztecs and the Maya's, Egypt of the Pharaonic era,
Greek, Roman and Etruscan antiquity, the bold designs and colours of the Ballets Russes,
Japanese pottery and lacquerwork, constructivism and cubism.
Main stylistic features are geometry and stylisation
as opposed to the asymmetrical and organic lines of art nouveau.
The art deco period saw the second revival of medal art in the twentieth century;
art nouveau at the turn of the century had seen the first .
A selection of Belgian and French art deco medals is shown,
in which the diversity of tendencies can be seen.

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