The golden age of ocean liners is inextricably linked with the key
decorative trends of the 20th century--Art Nouveau, Art Deco, and
Modernism. This lavish visual feast explores the technical, aesthetic,
cultural, and political factors that came together to define such an
iconic mode of travel, considering all aspects of the ocean liner
experience, from the striking marketing images, aspirational booking
offices, and landmark headquarters of the major shipping companies to
the ships' opulent interiors and triumphs of engineering. The lavish
fashions required for a crossing are also explored, along with the
evolution of the ships' social and public spaces, as once-rigid class
structures and attitudes became relaxed. Closing the book is an
exploration of the impact of the ocean liner on the wider art and design
world--an icon of modernity that influenced everyone from the Futurists
to Le Corbusier.
This stunning volume accompanies an exhibition at the Peabody Essex
Museum, Salem, MA, May 20, 2017 to October 9, 2017