Vintage French Art Deco Blue Handmade Wool Rug BB4615 13'0" × 13'3" $75,000

This circa-1900 vintage European deco rug features a striking central design of floral abstractions in soft shades of blue, red and green, ringed by bright blue spokes separated by gray lines and decorated with ornate gold flower emblems. The soft pink and blue floral background completes the unique look of the vintage carpet. European Art Deco owes its name to the first major exhibition of decorative arts to be held after the First World War: L’Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925.

The undeniable elegance of the custom at the event has served as inspiration for interior designers the world over, delivering a dramatic change of style to furnishings in general, and early 20th century Vintage oriental rugs and antique carpets in particular. Decorative arts of this period, sometimes known as the Machine Age, are characterized by a streamlined appearance.

Art Deco is a style of visual arts, architecture and design that first appeared in France just before World War I. The Art Deco movement led to a fast evolution of the rug and textile design, among other art forms. Rug design evolved from traditional floral and highly ornamental to a style of angular elegance with geometric, abstract and modern figurative motifs. The design is frequently spare, geometric, and architectural. The rugs created during this period remain elegant and refined to this day.