‘Art déco: Il trionfo della modernità’ [Art Déco: The Triumph of Modernity], Palazzo Reale, Milan, Italy, 27 February – 29 June 2025. ‘Dansk Art Deco: Den dekorative modernisme’ [Danish Art Deco: The Decorative Modernism], Vejen Art Museum, Vejen, Denmark, 14 June 2025 – 1 February 2026, and Øregaard Museum, Hellerup, Denmark, 8 February – 30 August 2026.

The centenary of the Exposition des Arts Décoratifs et Industriels Modernes in Paris in 1925 has prompted several initiatives in Europe that offer the opportunity to appreciate the richness of the decorative approach to modern design and its impact locally and internationally. As two exhibitions organized in 2025 in Italy and Denmark demonstrate (Art Déco: Il Trionfo della Modernità, curated by the art historian Valerio Terraroli, and Dansk Art Deco at the Vejen Art Museum), however, these commemorative events also reveal the challenges that the representation of Art Deco poses in terms of its contextualisation. This double review discusses these challenges, especially the prevalent limited artistic scope of public representation of the Art Deco.