1920–1940
Italian Art Deco
Classical bones, modern surface
Italian Art Deco keeps one foot in the classical tradition it never abandoned. The forms are geometric, but they are built on a monumental instinct — heavy bases, symmetrical composition, and a willingness to use marble and gilt alongside chrome. Novecento Italiano supplied the argument, and Milan supplied the furniture.
It is also the period when Italian design becomes an export again: Ponti's ceramics and furniture, Fontanaarte's glass, and Murano workshops producing Deco shapes in colours the French could not match.
History
The 1920s are the Novecento phase: monumentality, plaster and marble, and a classical order applied to modern forms.
The 1930s add metal and glass — Ponti, Fontanaarte, and Murano work made for modern interiors.
What to look for
A heavy classical base under a modern body, marble or gilt used structurally, and a maker's mark from Milan, Turin or Murano.
Searches for this entry are still being collected.