Art-Nouveau Building

 On April 12th, Jim and I went searching for this building near the Eiffel Tower in the 7th arrondissement at 29 Avuene Rapp.  It was built by Lavirotte & Bigot in 1901 during the Art-Nouveau Period (1890-1914).

During the late 1800s, many European artists, graphic designers, and architects rebelled against formal, classical approaches to design. They believed that the greatest beauty could be found in nature. Organic (living creatures and plants) were used to decorate the outsides of buildings.  You'll find the "cows" under the center balcony.  The "woman" is over the front door.
Art Nouveau (French for "New Style") flourished in major European cities between 1890 and 1914.  In the United States, Art Nouveau ideas were expressed in the work of Louis Comfort Tiffany, Louis Sullivan, and Frank Lloyd Wright.


In the later half of the twentieth century, Modernist architects took the concept of organic architecture to new heights. By using new forms of concrete and cantilever trusses, architects could create swooping arches without visible beams or pillars.