"The artist does not create his environment; he is a product thereof."
-Hector Guimard
CAREER
As a young man, Hector Guimard studied architecture at the École des Beaux-Arts, showed his paintings at the Paris Salon des Artistes, and competed in several architectural and painting competitions (including the Prix de Rome). Throughout his early travels, he met the Belgian architect Victor Horta who, as one of the founders of Art Nouveau, had a profound impact on Guimard's style. Guimard primarily worked with glass and iron to create magnificently sinuous designs on building facades and edicules-- the most famous of which still adorn select entrances to the Paris Metro.
As Guimard's style matured and gained popularity, his commissions began to include castels, villas, and even a short-lived concert hall. Unfortunately during the 1960s, with the Art Nouveau movement officially 'out of fashion,' many of Guimard's public works were demolished. One of his most important projects, which still exists today, is the Hôtel Guimard. The home's exterior, interior, and all of its furniture was designed by Guimard in his iconic Art Nouveau style; while the house exists today as seperate apartments, the original room arrangements and contents have been lost. In the early 1970s, Hector Guimard's reputation began to experience a re-evaluation and resurgence with many of his works officially declared of historic value and, rightfully, protected.