24, square Etienne-Pernet
I'm thrilled! This afternoon, I found the answer to a long-term enigma: the name of the architect who built 24, place Etienne-Pernet. You know the one I mean? Right opposite the Félix Faure métro. A beautiful example of art nouveau. It's one of those infuriating buildings that doesn't have the name of its creator sculpted on a brick. Anywhere.
The main door is always closed, but today was different. Someone was working on the mozaic floor of the entrance hall. I stuck my head in and asked if, by any chance, he knew who it was. He did. It was Alfred Wagon, a student of Guimard. We chatted a while. I caught sight of a poster on the door. Arnaud Pereira, restorer of mozaics. Aha! That would explain it.
I told him about my Guimard and Lavirotte tours, about the seahorses climbing up the sides of Castel Béranger and the crazy house on ave Rapp. He was enchanted and asked for more details which I happily parted with since he was exceedingly good-looking.
So, here's the buzz: Built in 1905, a typical representation of the eccentricities of Paris art nouveau with its abstract decor on each bay and column, flowers and stylised fruit that are so Guimard it was almost a surprise it had been done by someone else. The artichokes, sunflowers, irises, fircones, banana leaves are such fun...the mansarde has such exuberance! With its dissymetrical arabesque door in cast iron giving to a mozaic floor of irises, the corn cobs on the walls climb up to the ornate fleur des lys on the corniches of the ceiling. It is a pretty invasive building, standing there on the corner of Place Etienne-Pernet and rue de l'Eglise. The continuation of ave Felix Faure is really very sensible in comparison! This building could quite easily be part of a dream. It's out of place and yet not, for it blends in beautifully. I have been mesmerised by it ever since I've lived here in the XV arrondissement. I cannot take my eyes off it and happily greet it every morning with a minute or two of admiration, even if I'm running late. How I love the way the balconies curve so gracefully inwards. It is rather like a cataïf! It is, really! It swirls and folds in a sweet kind of spaghettified splendour with plenty of whipped cream for the soul. And yet, in its playfulness, its humour and its tipsy appearance, it has a comforting regularity. Heavy, imposing though it is, there blends such elegance and charm.
It is a crying shame that Alfred Wagon is known only for this building and even then, impossible to know that unless someone actually tells you. It was commissioned by P. Dulac whose grand-daughter still lives in the building. Wagon himself lived on avenue Wagram and was active in the 7è, 14è and elsewhere in the 15è, although his other creations were far less exciting. Perhaps he felt more comfortable with discretion. However, that said, he is considered today as one of the great amateurs of Paris art nouveau.