This talk will focus on women and their role in the Decorative arts between 1890 to 1930, with a specific focus on French Art Nouveau and French Art Deco styles. Women served as model and muse for Art Nouveau and Art Deco artists, which will be discussed in this talk through numerous artworks in the VMFA’s permanent collection, created by the leading designers at the turn of the 19th century and early 20th century. These rapidly changing times offered new opportunities for women who now had their own disposable incomes and ability to work outside the home, which also allowed for women to commission artists and become amateur collectors, as well as to be successful artists themselves. This talk will discuss sculpture, furniture, jewelry, and graphic design in both the Art Nouveau and Art Deco movements with women as subject, maker, and connoisseur.
