 hector guimard (march 10, 1867 &ndash; may 20, 1942) was a french architect, who is now the best-known representative of the art nouveau style of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. guimard's critical reputation has risen since the 1960s, as many art historians have praised his architectural and decorative work, the best of it done during a relatively brief fifteen years of prolific creative activity. == early life == guimard was born in lyon. like many other french nineteenth-century architects, he attended the Ãcole nationale supÃ©rieure des arts dÃ©coratifs in paris from 1882 to 1885, where he became acquainted with the theories of eugÃ¨ne emmanuel viollet-le-duc. these rationalist ideas provided the basis for his idiosyncratic form of art nouveau. in 1884 he was awarded three bronze and two silver medals at the school for his work. in 1885 he received awards in all of the competitions at Ãcole nationale supÃ©rieure des arts dÃ©coratifs including four bronze medallions, five silver, and the school's grande prix d'architecture. in 1885 guimard began his studies at the Ãcole nationale et speciale des beaux-arts in paris, and he was admitted to the first year at Ãcole nationale des beaux-arts in 1888. later, in 1890, he was awarded a silver metal for "modelled ornament" at ecole des beaux-arts. in 1891 guimard became an assistant professor in descriptive geometry, shadow, and perspective drawings of the girls' section at the Ãcole des arts dÃ©coratifs in paris. he was named a professor the following year in 1892 of the girls' section and was also named a professor of perspective in 1894. he remained there until 1900. in 1893 he designed the lettering and street numbers for the hotel villa de la rÃ©union at 142 avenue de versailles, paris, which were produced for him by the ceramicist emile muller.art nouveau furniture by alistair duncan, p.120 isbn 0500233624 the following year guimard visited the hÃ´tel tassel in brussels, designed by victor horta, and the latters works was to become a profound inspiration. his first solo commission and breakthrough came in 1894, when he designed castel bÃ©ranger at 14, rue la fontaine, paris, for mme. fournier. carried out over four years, he persuaded his client to abandon a more restrained design and replace it with an overt embracement of the art of the curvilinear. in a single com
1867_births 1942_deaths 20th-century_French_architects Architects_from_Lyon Art_Nouveau_architects French_decorative_artists Montreal_Metro_artists