Art Deco is an iconic design movement of the 1920s and 1930s known for its sleek geometric designs, which blend modernity with glamour and luxury. Think The Great Gatsby, The Chrysler Building, and Miami’s Art Deco Historic District. This season, Sarasota Art Museum of Ringling College of Art and Design invites visitors to step back in time to the era with Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration, a special exhibition celebrating the centennial anniversary of the art form. 

Here are our top reasons why you don’t want to miss this stunning collection before it disappears. 

1. They were never meant to last: 100 posters for 100 years

Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration features an impressive curation of 100 extremely rare posters from the era in recognition of Art Deco’s centennial. What makes these works so special? They were never meant to last. 

These large posters served as early billboards, once adhered to walls lining busy city blocks and later ripped down. Not only have these important artworks been saved—they’ve lasted 100 years. The posters on view in Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration are on loan from The Crouse Collection, considered to be one of the most important private collections in the world. Featuring works by Art Deco’s most esteemed graphic designers, an experience of this nature and scale is one you are unlikely to encounter elsewhere.

2. Learn Something: Lovers of Art, History, and Learning Unite!

Whether you’re an arts enthusiast, history buff, or an endlessly curious soul, Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration is a treasure trove of fascinating things to learn. From the birth of mass media to the influence of prohibition on consumer culture to the rise of luxury travel, and more, this exhibition offers a depth of knowledge and history—all documented and shared through art.

3. Time travel without leaving the present

No DeLorean required. Art Deco takes visitors back 100 years into the past. As you explore the galleries, be transported to the roaring twenties and stylish thirties, and feel the glamour, optimism, and exhilarating sense of modernity that defined the age. See an early tube radio, vintage posters selling automobiles, home electrification, and luxury voyages, and get a glimpse of decorative barware designed for an era where alcohol was outlawed.

4. See the iconic brands that built the modern world like never before

Before the era of television, email, and YouTube, companies relied on the technical skills of fine artists to create attention-grabbing, hand-crafted illustrations to sell their products. In this exhibition, you’ll see early print advertisements for companies that are household names to this day, including Twining Tea, Boullion Kub, Crysler, Bugatti, the London Underground, and more. What imagery, colors, and techniques did these artists use and what stories did these artworks tell? Step inside and find out.

5. Stand face-to-face with a masterpiece

Imagine seeing the work of a world-renowned artist, a pivotal figure in both the Dada and Surrealist movements, up close. This exhibition offers the rare opportunity to experience an authentic piece by the artist Man Ray in person. Which of the 100 posters on view belongs to the man himself? You’ll have to explore the exhibition and use a keen eye to find out.

Art Deco: The Golden Age of Illustration is now on view at Sarasota Art Museum through March 29, 2026. Chances are, once you visit, you’ll want to return to soak up more interesting discoveries on view in this rare showcase.

Learn more and plan your visit at SarasotaArtMuseum.org.