This circa-1940 vintage Art Deco vintage carpet features a stylized border of intersecting linear abstractions in white and blue against a field of deep maroon. The minimalist and bold use of color makes this antique carpet an elegant piece of modernist decor. European Art Deco owes its name to the first major exhibition of decorative arts to be held after the First World War: L'Exposition Internationale des Arts Decoratifs et Industriels Modernes held in Paris in 1925. The undeniable elegance of the custom at the event has served as inspiration for interior designers the world over, delivering a dramatic change of style to furnishings in general, and early 20th century European Art Deco rugs and carpets in particular. Decorative arts of this period, sometimes known as the Machine Age, are characterized by a streamlined appearance - which can be seen in this vintage Art Deco carpet.