In 1925, 16 million visitors witnessed PARIS’S EXPO - The International Exhibition of Modern Decorative and Industrial Arts. What would we have seen in this landmark exhibition, if we had been one of those visitors? What drew the Crowds? And how did this seminal exhibition play a fundamental role in giving rise to a new international and truly GLOBAL style that we have come to know as ART DECO? 

Over a six month period, visitors were treated to 15,000 exhibits from 20+ different contributing nations INCLUDING Britain, Italy, Spain, France, Belgium, the Netherlands and Japan. These nations also built substantial pavilions to illustrate their ideas of modern architecture and to house the various exhibits.  We will study some of these exhibits which will include furniture by Emile-Jacques Rulhmann; glassware by René Lalique; modern period sculpture by François Pompon and paintings by the artist JEAN DUPAS. 

We will also spend some time focusing on the stately Grand Salon of the Hotel du Collectionneur that was a principal feature at this 1925 exhibition and showcased stunning examples of objets d’art, furniture, crystal and fine art. 

Why was the United States was not represented by its own Pavilion, despite embracing ART DECO for its majestic skyscrapers of the late 1920s and early 1930s? And yet, there was a Soviet Pavillion? We will have answers to these questions and many more. We will also learn about the immediate global appeal of all things ART DECO as a result of this expo. Its impact for future generations has been profound. 100 years on – the bold art deco still very much alive and around, as evident by recent hotel, club and house restorations and refurbishments. We will share some of these contemporary reburbishments in this talk. Come and join the Art Deco celebrations and learn about the 1925 PARIS EXPO.