Photograph, Photograph of a Window on the Facade of the House of Hector Guimard, 22 Rue Mozart

<!--td {border: 1px solid #ccc;}br {mso-data-placement:same-cell;}--> French architect-designer Hector Guimard was a leader in the emerging Art Nouveau movement of the late nineteenth century. Striving to develop a style that represented a modern world, Art Nouveau designers used asymmetry, curvilinear lines, and forms that reflected the tensions and transformations of nature as they broke down hierarchies between fine and decorative arts. In 1909, after marrying New York socialite Adeline Oppenheim, Guimard designed the couple’s new home on a narrow lot in Paris. It was his first opportunity to design without the constraints of a client, and it was the last Gesamtkunstwerk, or “total work of art” he would execute. Guimard designed every detail of the house, including its furnishings, decor, and the exterior details showcased in this photograph. The carving details surrounding the uniquely curved window and the elaborate cast-iron grill display Guimard’s mastery in a variety of mediums. They also show his fascination with the forces of nature: organic lines display a push-pull tension and morph into abstract floral elements. Beneath the balcony are subtle carvings that create harmony between the dynamism of individual windows and the smoother exterior surface. Guimard aimed above all for logic, harmony, and sentiment in his works, visible in his attention to detail.

Photograph, Photograph of a Window on the Facade of the House of Hector Guimard, 22 Rue Mozart; Architect: Hector Guimard ((French, 1867–1942)); France; photographic print on sensitized paper; 22.6 x 10.6 cm (8 7/8 x 4 3/16 in.); Gift of Madame Hector Guimard; 1956-78-8-1