Hector Guimard, architect of the inter-century period
The work of Hector Guimard has been despised by the public during more than 50 years and eventually gained recognition from the 1960s by collectors and traiblazer dealers.
In 1889 France celebrates the first century of its national Revolution, the success of the Industrial Revolution which is presented during the universal exhibtion. The Eiffel Tower is the symbol of Paris and the modernity and mastery of metal.
A few years later, in 1894, at the young age of 27 Hector Guimard recieved the order for a building which will play a major rôle in his career known as Castel Belanger. 5 years later, In 1899, thanks to its volumes and his vibrant coloration, this project enabled him to win his first official prize at the Façade de Paris competition. At the early stage of his career, Guimard’s architectural style still follow medieval tendencies following notably Viollet-le-Duc but with this project he would detach himself from the rigidity of neo-gothique style while keeping its essense.
Apart from this major construction, the last years of the 19th century were the most productive ones for Guimard’s career with other important projects such as two other Castels (Garches and Henriette), the Lille House and the Villa La Bluette on the French seaside in Hermanville.
For each new project, Guimard imagines the complex shape of the overall architecture but also its interior decoration and furniture shime with the large volumes. In 1900 he will become part of the Parisian landscape with the creation of the metropolitan stations executed with an impressive originality and speed.
The stations, comissioned to him on the occasion of the universal exhibition of 1900, are a mix of architecture and sculpture with boucliers ecussoné with the letter M standing for « Metro », lamps in the shapes of vegetals and pannels where the name of the station is written with such a regonizable font.
In the 1860 European artist showed a strong interest for the extreme oriental arts such as Japanese prints which are collected by Claude Monet, Toulouse Lautrec etc… Even if in Guimard’s work the Asian influence is not so obvious it is well present and deeply engraved in his creation.
In 1904 he built two of the most prestigious projects of his carreer in Paris, rue de Renelagh, an hotel particulier (destroyed in 1957) and in the south subur the Castel d’Orgaval with its japanese style.
After the first world war a new architectural order bergins, submitted to new technicals constraits, economic and socials. It’s the shift from Art Nouveau to Art déco. Between 1925 and 1930 Guimard built 4 more buildings in the 16th discrtic. The one Rue de Mozart shows well that Guimard has adopted the Art Deco and even goes beyond by removing any ornements which were so indyosincratic of the Art Nouveau.
However during the following years, France and especially the construction sector face a harsh economic crisis. Guimard will therefore slow down his activity and will only build his own Villa at Vaucresson, « La Fuimardière ».
In 1938 he left Europe to go to the USA. He would die in New York 4 years later and his work would disappear with him for a several decades until 1970s when Guimard, and overall the Art Nouveau movement, was rediscovered and appreciated again.