Sforzina: Designs for a Modern America, 1924–1941

Before the opening of the famous Paris Exposition in 1925 that solidified Art Deco, the roots of the style were already planted in the United States by French designer Edgard Sforzina. In his short but prolific career in America, Sforzina worked on several notable projects, including interior design and furniture for George Gershwins’s Riverside Drive apartment and the Cincinnati Union Terminal.

This exhibition shares just a few of the hundreds of designs that Sforzina created during his nearly 20-year career in the United States. From the material presently known, he was exceptionally talented and multi-faceted. Sforzina was an artist, artisan, industrial designer, interior designer, and architect.

In early 2019, Northern Virginia resident Denise Allen approached the Art Deco Society of Washington with an inquiry about an extensive collection of drawings, photographs, prototypes, and professional records in her possession: the work of her grandfather, Edgard Sforzina. Since then, Denise, along with Art Deco Society Board Member Jim Linz and professional curator Deborah Sorensen have sorted, catalogued, scanned, and photographed more than 500 items in the collection.