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
