Jules Lavirotte
Encyclopedia
Jules Aimé Lavirotte was a French
architect
who designed no fewer than nine buildings still standing in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, or in immediately surrounding arrondissements. His flamboyant work won him acclaim among his contemporaries, and won him the Concours de Façades de la Ville de Paris on at least two occasions: once for the building at 29 Avenue Rapp (1901), and again for the Ceramic Hotel, 34 Avenue de Wagram (1904).
, and went on to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, where he was a pupil of Antoine Georges Louvier (1818–92). He subsequently studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the tutelage of Paul Blondel (1847–97), and gained his architect's diploma there in 1894.
facade
offers only hints of the theatrical displays for which Lavirotte was to become known.
on the facade of this building is the first example of its kind in the West
. Glazed tiles are embedded in the stone and in the brick, and they cover much of the facade. The ceramicist responsible for this finishing was a Mr Alexandre Bigot
, and the building proved to be an effective advertisement for his wares. It was very lavishly adorned even by the standards of the many ceramically finished facades that were built in the following years, which were for the most part appointed this way because this was a way to protect and beautify the iron and concrete materials whose use was fast becoming the standard. The building at 29 avenue Rapp also had a highly exotic door frame designed by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Larrive, and sculpted by Messrs Sporrer, Firmin-Marcelin Michelet, and Alfred Jean Halou
.
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
architect
Architect
An architect is a person trained in the planning, design and oversight of the construction of buildings. To practice architecture means to offer or render services in connection with the design and construction of a building, or group of buildings and the space within the site surrounding the...
who designed no fewer than nine buildings still standing in the 7th arrondissement of Paris, or in immediately surrounding arrondissements. His flamboyant work won him acclaim among his contemporaries, and won him the Concours de Façades de la Ville de Paris on at least two occasions: once for the building at 29 Avenue Rapp (1901), and again for the Ceramic Hotel, 34 Avenue de Wagram (1904).
Early life
Lavirotte was born in LyonLyon
Lyon , is a city in east-central France in the Rhône-Alpes region, situated between Paris and Marseille. Lyon is located at from Paris, from Marseille, from Geneva, from Turin, and from Barcelona. The residents of the city are called Lyonnais....
, and went on to study at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Lyon, where he was a pupil of Antoine Georges Louvier (1818–92). He subsequently studied at the Ecole des Beaux-Arts in Paris under the tutelage of Paul Blondel (1847–97), and gained his architect's diploma there in 1894.
Buildings
- 151 Rue de Grenelle, 7th arrondissement (1898)
- 12 Rue Sedillot, 7th arrondissement (1899)
- 3 Square Rapp, 7th arrondissement (1899)
- 134 Rue de Grenelle, 7th arrondissement (1900)
- 29 Avenue Rapp, 7th arrondissement (1901)
- Chateau at Chaouat (Tunisia, c.1904)
- Villa at Chaouat (Tunisia, c.1904)
- Restoration of the Church at Chaouat (Tunisia, c.1904)
- Ceramic hotel, 34 Avenue de Wagram, 8th arrondissement (1904)
- 169 Boulevard Lefebvre, 15th arrondissement (1906)
- 23 Avenue de Messine, 8th arrondissement (1906, top floors added later, doing away with Lavirotte’s garden roof)
- 6 Rue de Messine, 8th arrondissement (1907)
- 2 Rue Balzac, Franconville, Val d’Oise (c.1907)
151 Rue de Grenelle, 7th arrondissement (1898)
The first major building designed by Lavirotte, the largely restrained French RococoRococo
Rococo , also referred to as "Late Baroque", is an 18th-century style which developed as Baroque artists gave up their symmetry and became increasingly ornate, florid, and playful...
facade
Facade
A facade or façade is generally one exterior side of a building, usually, but not always, the front. The word comes from the French language, literally meaning "frontage" or "face"....
offers only hints of the theatrical displays for which Lavirotte was to become known.
12 Rue Sedillot, 7th arrondissement (1899)
The earliest Lavirotte building to feature an unconventional assembly of fantastical themes and oddities.29 Avenue Rapp, 7th arrondissement (1901)
The large scale deployment of glazed earthenwareEarthenware
Earthenware is a common ceramic material, which is used extensively for pottery tableware and decorative objects.-Types of earthenware:Although body formulations vary between countries and even between individual makers, a generic composition is 25% ball clay, 28% kaolin, 32% quartz, and 15%...
on the facade of this building is the first example of its kind in the West
Western world
The Western world, also known as the West and the Occident , is a term referring to the countries of Western Europe , the countries of the Americas, as well all countries of Northern and Central Europe, Australia and New Zealand...
. Glazed tiles are embedded in the stone and in the brick, and they cover much of the facade. The ceramicist responsible for this finishing was a Mr Alexandre Bigot
Alexandre Bigot
Alexandre Bigot was a French ceramicist. He was primarily a ceramics manufacturer; producing the designs of many artists and architects of the French Art Nouveau movement; including: Jules Lavirotte, Hector Guimard, Louis Majorelle, Henri Sauvage, Henry van de Velde, Auguste Perret, Andre...
, and the building proved to be an effective advertisement for his wares. It was very lavishly adorned even by the standards of the many ceramically finished facades that were built in the following years, which were for the most part appointed this way because this was a way to protect and beautify the iron and concrete materials whose use was fast becoming the standard. The building at 29 avenue Rapp also had a highly exotic door frame designed by the sculptor Jean-Baptiste Larrive, and sculpted by Messrs Sporrer, Firmin-Marcelin Michelet, and Alfred Jean Halou
Alfred Jean Halou
Alfred Jean Halou was a French sculptor.He followed the class of Alexandre Falguière at the École des Beaux Arts and was also a pupil of Auguste Rodin...
.
External links
- Beautiful pictures of Jules Lavirotte Art Nouveau Buildings in Paris
- Pictures and description of many Lavirotte buildings around Paris
- http://www.paris1900.blogspot.com/search/label/Lavirotte
- Jules Lavirotte - current photographs