Jules Lavirotte : L'audace d'un architecte de l'Art nouveau

New revised and expanded edition

Recognised as one of the masters of Art Nouveau in a highly imaginative and singular style, the architect Jules Lavirotte (1864-1929) has a paradoxical reputation: while his name and some of his works are well known to the public, his life and career are virtually unknown even to specialists.

Lavirotte decorated his buildings with exuberant, sometimes erotically inspired symbolism. In collaboration with the ceramist Alexandre Bigot, he covered some of his façades with panels of flamed stoneware, as seen in the Lavirotte building at 29, avenue Rapp and the Céramic Hôtel at 34, avenue de Wagram, in Paris. He developed this style until 1906, when his style became more restrained, with the private mansion at 23, avenue de Messine in Paris. The main buildings from his Art Nouveau period are all in the same Paris district, making it easy to observe the evolution of his style.

The new edition of this book, published in 2018, retraces Lavirotte's life and career. Richly illustrated, the book is expanded to include previously unpublished information and new works.  

Exhibition: ‘Jules Lavirotte, a master of Art Nouveau architecture’, Villa du Châtelet, Évian, 1 June - 30 September 2025.