Hector Guimard: Art Nouveau To Modernism

The aesthetic of architect Hector Guimard (1867-1942) has long characterized French Art Nouveau in the popular imagination. Known for, among other things, the decorative entrances to the Paris Métro and the associated lettering, he often looked to nature for inspiration, and combined materials such as stone and cast iron in unique ways to create designs composed of curves and waves that evoked movement.

With copious illustrations of his architectural drawings as well as his furniture, jewellery, and textile designs, this volume explores Guimard's full oeuvre and elucidates the significance of his work to the history of modern art. Essays by an international group of scholars present Guimard as a visionary architect, a shrewd entrepreneur, an industrialist, and a social activist.