Day Two – Tuesday, October 21st

The Congress really began on Tuesday and set the schedule that we would follow through Friday. Arriving at 8:30 at the Auditorium of the Cité de l’Architecture attendees were  treated to coffee, juice and a nice assortment of breakfast pastries .

Then from 9:00 – 10:45 lectures, a coffee break, with lectures resuming at 11:15 and going to 12:15.

Welcome & Lectures

Three American Women Artists and Designers in 1920s Paris

The first lecture of the Congress was given by teacher, author and historian Kathleen Murphy Skolnik. Focusing on the careers of three American women, Berenice Abbott, Eyre de Lanux and Ruth Reeves all living and working in 1920s Paris.

Paris Fashion at the Exposition

Vintage clothing collector and fashion historian Brian Scott, gave the next lecture. Focusing on the Paris fashions exhibited at the 1925 fair at both the Grand Palais and the Pavilion of Elegance on the Cours-la-Reine.

After the mid-morning coffee break and before the next two lectures the Congress had a visit, via Zoom, from a surprise guest from England, Bevis Hillier.

Hillier is one of the most important people in the history of Art Deco. His 1968 book, Art Deco was the first major work on the style. And his curation of the exhibit and catalog of The World of Art Deco at The Minneapolis Institute of the Arts, helped to increase popular awareness of the interwar style. And although he denies he coined the term “Art Deco”, he certainly made it definitive.

Attractions and Leisure at the Exposition

20th-century decorative art expert Alain-René Hardy provided us with a look at the 1925 Exposition’s amusement park plus other leisurely activities for patrons of the fair to enjoy.

Perfumery at the 1925 International Exhibition of Decorative and Industrial Arts

Based on his second Master thesis, Tristan Hinschberger, gave a lecture on how the perfume manufacturers collaborated with artists and obtained an independent pavilion at the 1925 fair.

Lunch

Each day after the lectures Congress attendees were provided with a very nice boxed lunch in the Salon d’About.

Located on the upper floors of the Cité of Architecture and Heritage, the space was originally the home of Paul Deschamps, director of the Musée des Mounuments Français at the Trocadéro. The Deschamps family lived there until 1961. The space, now gutted of its original interior, serves as reception hall. And the views of Paris from the outdoor terrace are spectacular.

The daytime view of the Eiffel Tower and the Palais de Chaillot from the Salon d’About terrace.

 

Cité of Architecture and Heritage

After lunch, Congress attendees received a tour of the Cité of Architecture and Heritage. Closed to the public on Tuesdays, we therefore had the place to ourselves. And included private tours of the, The 20th Century Gallery and the exhibit Paris 1925: Art Deco & Its Architects.

Our tour began in the Casting Gallery. The origins of this collection go back to 1878. Eugène Viollet-le-Duc (1814 – 1879) proposed the transformation of the Trocadero Palace into a museum displaying models and landmarks from around France after the world’s fair closed. The Museum of Comparative Sculpture opened in 1882 after Viollet-le-Duc’s death. The gallery showcases architectural innovations from the Middle Ages through the present day.

Over the last 130 years thousands of life size plaster casts have been collected. When the gallery relocated to the Palais de Chailott for the 1937 world’s fair the collection greatly enlarged.

Examples Medieval & Gothic Architecture Plaster Casts

 

 

While wandering through the Plaster Cast Gallery, we came across a model that really caught our eye. L’inspiration, by Alfred-Alphonse Bottiau (1889 – 1951), a sculpture for the pediment of Pavillon de Tête in the Paris wing of the Palais de Chaillot for the 1937 World’s Fair.

After a lengthy tour of the medieval section including recreated catacombs, Anthony was anxious to get to the Exposition display.

Modern and Contemporary Architecture

The big highlight in the Modern and Contemporary Architecture gallery is the recreation of  an apartment from Le Corbusier’s Unite d’ Habitation in Marseille. In 1947 Le Corbusier received the commission to design a multi-family housing project for people of Marseille who lost their homes during the bombings of the Second World War. Completed in 1952, this was the first of a number housing projects he would design focusing on communal living for the inhabitants to live, play and shop in a “vertical garden city”.

Paris 1925: Art Deco & Its Architects

 

This exhibit, which runs until March 29, 2026, offers an immersive reconstruction of the 1925 Exposition, through a virtual model. It features the work of such famous 20th-Century architects as, Le Corbusier, Henri Sauvage, Auguste Perret and Robert Mallet-Stevens and the connections between their works and the emerging concept of modernity.

Below are just a sample of the many renderings, pictures and examples on display.

The monumental Gate of Honor, located next to the Grand Palais, served as just one of the entrances to the 1925 exposition.  This was the principle entrance used for ceremonial events.

The laurel leaf inspired Henry Favier’s Oasis Fountain screen. Edgar Brandt’s studio produced the final product.

At top is Edgar Brandt’s Furniture Collection Gallery.  Henry Favier’s Oasis screen dominates the wall on the right.

Attached to the Esplanade des Invalides, The gate with floral decoration is surrounded by a bas-relief by Edgar Brandt.

At the bottom is an original sketch for the entrance gates.

 

Evening Cocktail Reception at the Salon d’About

 

After our tours of the exhibits at the Cité of Architecture and Heritage finished we had time to return to our rooms before the cocktail reception at 8:00 at the Salon d’About. Like the evening before, champagne flowed freely and there were many delicious hors d’oeuvres to choose from.

If the views of Paris from the terrace at lunch were spectacular, at night it was magical. And none of the attendees seemed to mind that it had become chilly and windy.

The night time view of the Palais de Chaillot  and the Eiffel Tower from the Salon d’About terrace.

So after gazing at the view, eating more hors d’oeuvres and drinking several more glasses of champagne, we decided it would be best to call it a night. We headed back to the Airbnb since we knew the next day was going to be even busier.

Chris & Anthony (The Freakin’, Tiquen Guys)

 

Sources

Online

archdaily.com/

citedelarchitecture.fr

wikipedia.org/

Written

17th World Congress on Art Deco© Program