Mid-20th Century Modernist Art Deco Circular Brown, Orange, Green Wool Rug BB5969 9'0" × 9'0" $5,000

This round circa-1940 vintage French Deco antique rug features an all-over design of concentric abstractions in shades of orange, cool brown, and beige, with sharp brown and green outlines. The intriguing mid-century carpet is a modernist example of a renowned artistic movement. 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 European deco rugs and 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.