| Artist: | Guimard, Hector |
|
|---|---|---|
| Title of Work: | Metro (subway) Stations, Paris | |
| Date of Work: | 1898-1901 | |
| Nationality: | French | |
| Context: | The Turn of the Century | |
| Movement: | Art Nouveau | |
| Medium: | Architecture | |
| Subject: a new form of architecture hits the Parisian scene during the World's Fair of 1900: metro stations, for which there were no prototypes, so Guimard invents his own model. Goes well beyond "form follows function" in these decorative, highly inventive designs that the Parisians quickly dubbed "street furniture." Style: highly stylized, the stations make extensive use of ornamentation that plays off the "stylized flower" motif. Guimard also makes use of modern metal construction (influenced by the Eiffel Tower). Context: good example of Art Nouveau design, which picks up on the Arts and Crafts stylized flower, but which unlike that movement embraces the new technology of the Industrial Age. | ||
