I’ve gone through most of my adult life hearing references to Art Deco without really understanding what defines the style. Recently, I decided to dig a little deeper and checked out a book from the library on the subject. I’m still not entirely sure how I feel about Art Deco as a whole, but I did discover one artist associated with the movement whose work immediately stood out to me: John Storrs.
Storrs (1885–1956) worked during the early twentieth century, a time when artists were rethinking the relationship between form, technology, and modern life. This era—the height of the machine age—gave rise to the sleek, geometric aesthetic we now recognize as Art Deco, reflecting society’s fascination with speed, industry, and innovation. Storrs embraced these ideas in his sculpture, creating polished aluminum and bronze forms with strong vertical lines that capture both the optimism and energy of the period. I first noticed his work because the sculptures remind me of miniature skyscrapers, each one like a little city rising out of the ground.
His French wife, who was no doubt his number one fan, once wrote:
“My husband is an artist. He thus escapes every definition. He is a sculptor, he is a draftsman, he is an engraver, he is an architect, he is a poet, he is a dreamer, he is a chameleon. He changes mood with the light and is under its inspiration like a drop of water in the sunlight... His soul takes on the little differences of the air.”
I just love this poetic description!
The photographs below highlight some of my favorite examples of his work:
All photos taken from John Storrs: Machine-Age Modernist by Debra Bricker Balken.
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References
Balken, Debra Bricker. John Storrs: Machine-Age Modernist. Boston Athenaeum Library, 2010.
Davidson, Abraham A. "John Storrs, Early Sculptor of the Machine Age." Artforum, www.artforum.com/features/john-storrs-early-sculptor-of-the-machine-age-213419/ Accessed 15 March 2026.