There are reports that a new Paris Art Nouveau architecture museum may be in the cards.
Showcasing the work of hugely influential French architect Hector Guimard, it could become another cultural gem for our city.
We take a look at the history of Art Nouveau and the plans for the museum.
Paris and Art Nouveau
A walk around the historic streets of Paris rewards you with a multitude of architecture and styles. Everything from Hausmannian and Gothic to Classical and Belle Époque.
But one of the most frequent sights is the cast iron gates to the city’s subway stations – known here as the Métro.
These elaborate Art Nouveau (‘new art’) gates are the work of architect Hector Guimard, built between 1900 to 1913.
More than a century later, they continue to be a symbol of Paris. Of the original 141 gates, only 86 remain today – those that endure are now Historical Monuments.
For many, they are the epitome of the Art Nouveau style – curved, organic shapes that use decorative motifs from nature such as plants and leaves.
In fact, they are so closely associated with the style, that French Art Nouveau is sometimes referred to as ‘Le Style Métro.’