Hector Guimard was born in 1867 in Lyon, France. He is a major figure in the Art Nouveau style, and was a prolific Architect, and interior and furniture designer. He was heavily influenced by the writings of Viollet-de-Luc, John Ruskin and William Morris,  and by the architecture of Victor Horta, another major figure in Art Nouveau design. Guimard’s furniture was usually designed for the interiors of his architectural creations, and the same high quality construction and attention to detail can be seen throughout his work.

Detailed bespoke furniture such as this requires craftsmen of the highest skill and the finest materials to produce, and as such could only be commissioned by the wealthy. As with most things commissioned by the wealthy there is an element of status associated with the furniture and buildings Guimard produced, however in contrast to heavy set and excessively regal styles like  the Rococo Revival furniture popular at the time, Guimard’s furniture is elegant and harmonious. Rather than being palatial and intimidating, the pieces look natural, almost as if the sweeping curves of the legs and frames had grown that way to begin with. Guimard’s interiors where at the same time welcoming and mesmerising. Working in the Art Nouveau style, the inspiration of nature is at the core of his work, and this can be seen in all aspects of his designs; in the undulating plantlike curves of the structural elements, in the smaller carved details on the surface of the parts, and in the loose asymmetrical layout of the furniture. Guimard strove for balance and harmony in his work, and as a result each piece can be considered an art object in it’s own right.