Not on display

Balcony Front

ca. 1900 (made)
Artist/Maker
Bayard Et Saint Didier (maker)
Guimard, Hector (designer)
Place of origin
Paris (made)

Hector Guimard (1867-1942) was a leading exponent of the French Art Nouveau style. Strongly influenced by Victor Horta, his work is characterised by flowing scrolls and fluid acqueous and vegetal ornament. His best known works a re the Castel Beranger, 1894-8 and the entrances to the Paris Metros, 1900. He also designed furniture and interior fittings.

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Object details

Categories
Metalwork
Architectural Fittings
Object type
Balcony front
Materials and techniques
Cast iron
Iron
Casting
Brief description
Cast iron balcony front designed by Hector Guimard, France ca. 1900.
Physical description
Rectangular balcony front, the fluid upright sections are decorated with curling vegetal scrolls. Interlocking these are curling tendrils of abstracted floral and vegetal motifs.
Dimensions
  • Height: 52.5cm
  • Width: 92.5cm
Gallery label
(1987-2006)
BALCONY PANEL

Guimard's best known works in iron are the entrances to the Paris Métro, first commissioned in 1900. A fireplace is displayed in the Ironwork Gallery (Room 114C).
Object history
Historical significance: Guimard was a leading exponent of the French Art Nouveau style. Strongly influenced by Victor Horta, his work is characterised by flowing scrolls and fluid acqueous and vegetal ornament. His best known works a re the Castel Beranger, 1894-8 and the entrances to the Paris Metros, 1900. He also designed furniture and interior fittings.
Subject depicted
Scrolling Foliage
Summary
Hector Guimard (1867-1942) was a leading exponent of the French Art Nouveau style. Strongly influenced by Victor Horta, his work is characterised by flowing scrolls and fluid acqueous and vegetal ornament. His best known works a re the Castel Beranger, 1894-8 and the entrances to the Paris Metros, 1900. He also designed furniture and interior fittings.
Bibliographic reference
Campbell, Marian An Introduction to Ironwork, London, HMSO, 1985. p.35 ill. ISBN 0112904157
Collection
Metalwork Collection
Accession number
M.120-1984

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Record createdApril 10, 2000
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O35022/balcony-front-guimard-hector/
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