Still reeling from desolation of the war, a group of artists took inspiration from the architectural forms of ancient Rome and classical Italian representational art. The modernized, simplified style of the Novecento group also drew from the geometric decorations of the Wiener Werkstätte in Austria and Art Deco in France. Youth artists filled with a fascist, revolutionary fervor spoke of the novecento (that is, the 1900s) as one of the most significant periods of art and history. Fascists under Mussolini came to prefer this architectural style due to its Italian roots, which was consistent with the fascists´ sense of national pride.
Members of the Novecento group included Gio Ponti, Emilio Lancia and Pietro Chiesa; members Ponti Novecento and Richard-Ginori also imbued the decorative arts with the Novecento aesthetic.