Parisian Architecture Of The Belle Epoque

Description

Turn of the century Paris is often referred to as the belle epoque, a golden age of affluence and artistic creativity before the turmoil of the First World War. This was the Paris of artists such as Bonnard, Rodin, Seurat and Vuillard, as well as writers and musicians such as Debussy, Zola and Maupassant. The Eiffel Tower had just been built and the Moulin Rouge was in its heyday - Paris was the cosmopolitan capital of pleasure and culture. The architecture of the period, however, has generally been neglected known only for the Art Nouveau designs of Guimard's Metro entrances and restaurants such as Maxim's. This book, based on a thorough survey of Parisian buildings of the era, connects the medievalism of Viollet-le-Duc, the classical tradition of the Ecole des Beaux-Arts and early developments in metal and concrete construction with modern pioneers like Perret, de Baudot and Sauvage.

Reviews

"...stunning photography and fascinating text, it's an inspirational companion for a revisit to the city." (Bucks, January 2007) "... feels meaty without being ponderous. It slips easily into a weekend bag, and would enhance any visitor's pleasure of discovery." (Building Design. February 2007) "...a real insight into this exciting time including social and economic issues and it is illustrated with well-chosen photographs." (France Magazine, May 2007) "A visual treat".(Destination France Magazine, Summer 2007) "...hugely enjoyable book...Johnston writes evocatively and succinctly about a city he knows intimately...this is a fine account " (The Architects' Journal (cover date Thu 21st June) "With an enticing subject and an attractive price, this is one of the achievements of the decade in architectural history." (The Victorian, March 2008)