An Entrance to the Paris Métropolitain c. 1902 - 1913

This is a cast iron and glass entrance to the Paris Métropolitain, made by Hector Guimard, who lived from 1867 to 1942. It’s all about the natural world rendered in iron. The whiplash curves, the leaf-like railings, the glowing glass fruit at the top, it's like a frozen garden. The texture is smooth but with subtle bumps and ridges that mimic the bark of a tree or the veins of a leaf. The green is a muted, almost mossy shade, and the glass fruits add a pop of bright color. Look closely at the way the uprights branch out and curve, so fluid, like vines reaching for sunlight. It's almost as if Guimard was trying to bring the outside in, to create a seamless transition between the natural world and the urban environment. I see echoes of William Morris in this piece. Both were interested in incorporating nature into design. In both cases you get this feeling that something old is becoming something new. It's up to you to decide what.