At the Château Borély, how Marseille became a Mediterranean laboratory of Art Nouveau and Art Deco

An exhibition titled "Art nouveau, Art déco : Marseille au cœur des styles" at the Château Borély in Marseille explores the city's overlooked role in the dissemination of Art Nouveau and Art Deco styles. Featuring nearly 300 works on loan from institutions including the Musée d'Orsay, the Musée de l'École de Nancy, and the Fondation Azzedine Alaïa, the show traces the stylistic transition from the organic curves of the Belle Époque to the geometric lines of the 1930s. Highlights include furniture by Émile Gallé, glassworks by René Lalique, and posters by David Dellepiane, illustrating how Marseille became a Mediterranean laboratory for these decorative movements.

This exhibition matters because it challenges the traditional narrative that centers Art Nouveau on Nancy and Art Deco on Paris, revealing Marseille as a crucial hub for the adoption and adaptation of these styles. By showcasing local bourgeois commissions and the work of artists like Dellepiane, the show demonstrates how family networks, commercial fairs, and regional tastes helped spread modern design beyond established creative centers. It also underscores the importance of the Château Borély's decorative arts museum in preserving and interpreting this lesser-known chapter of design history.