Gazing upon the delicate ironwork of An Entrance to the Paris Métropolitain, one might wonder how such a distinctly Parisian icon ended up here in Washington D.C. This isn’t just any piece of art. It’s a portal.
An Entrance to the Paris Métropolitain is more than a sculpture. It’s a time capsule and a symbol of a bygone era. Hector Guimard, a celebrated French architect, designed it. He was at the forefront of the Art Nouveau movement in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Imagine Paris in 1900. The city was preparing for the Exposition Universelle. A world’s fair intended to showcase the best of art, architecture, and technology. The Paris Métro was brand new. City planners needed a stylish way to draw people to this newfangled mode of transportation. That’s where Guimard came in.
Guimard designed 141 entrances to the Paris Métro between 1902 and 1913. His designs were meant to be eye-catching. The organic, plant-like forms contrasted beautifully with the industrial cast iron. The style became known as “le style Métro” and “le style Guimard”.
The entrances were produced in three main variations. Some were basic, open entrances with railings. Others were enclosed with covered steps and glass roofs. Still, others featured complete pavilions with waiting rooms. The one standing before us is of the simpler variety.
This particular An Entrance to the Paris Métropolitain was installed in Paris between 1902 and 1913. Then, sometime between the 1930s and 1960s, it was removed. The Métro took down entrances that were in poor condition. Some were sold to collectors and museums. This one eventually found its way to a private collection in Geneva.
In 2000, the National Gallery of Art acquired this An Entrance to the Paris Métropolitain. It was a gift from Robert P. and Arlene R. Kogod.
If you were to visit Paris today, you could still see 86 of Guimard’s original entrances. In 1978, the remaining intact entrances were registered as Monuments Historiques.
The Gallery’s Parisian Metro entrance needed some care. It needed to be restored and repainted several times. The layers of paint lifted from the cast iron. Conservators applied corrosion inhibitors and durable paints. These efforts maintained the aged bronze appearance that Guimard intended.
So, here it stands. An Entrance to the Paris Métropolitain. It is a reminder of a time when even the most utilitarian objects were imbued with beauty and artistry. Take a moment to appreciate the delicate details. Think about the countless Parisians who passed through these gates. Consider how a simple subway entrance became an enduring symbol of a city and an era.