The Birth of Art Deco: Ruhlmann and the Hôtel du Collectionneur, 1925

What is Art Deco? Jared Goss, an independent scholar and former associate curator of modern and contemporary art at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, has spent much of his three-decade career investigating that question. Goss presented a lecture on his latest book on the subject at the Institute of Classical Architecture & Art, where he also serves as a board member.

His new publication, The Birth of Art Deco: Ruhlmann and the Hôtel du Collectionneur, 1925, celebrates the 1925 Paris Exposition - the landmark event that shaped twentieth-century design and gave Art Deco its name. The exposition dazzled over sixteen million visitors during its run, showcasing the pinnacle of French luxury goods and design innovation.

Émile-Jacques Ruhlmann (1879-1933), renowned as the preeminent designer and decorator in the French Art Deco style, was recognized for the aesthetic refinement, luxurious materials, and impeccable craftsmanship of his creations. Inspired by eighteenth-century pleasure pavilions, Ruhlmann’s pavilion, L’Hôtel du Collectionneur (The Town House of the Collector), was one of the most admired exhibits at the fair. Conceived as a modern-day Trianon, it was filled with his own sumptuous furnishings together with a meticulous selection of objets d’art by his contemporaries, including Edgar Brandt, Jean Dunand, and Jean Puiforcat.

The book offers a detailed examination of the pavilion’s architecture and interiors, revealing how Ruhlmann’s vision set standards for luxury and taste in the interwar period. Although the pavilion existed for only six months, it left a lasting legacy as one of the most refined examples of Art Deco, embodying both the opulence and the innovative spirit of the era.

This lecture is presented as part of The Françoise and Andrew Skurman Lecture Series on Classical French Architecture.

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