European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 23, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A Section of the stained Glass ceiling at the credit Lyonnais Bank  m y school if it s baroque fix its amps photos by Lynda Davidson this building originally a seed store was the first in the City to use Metal in Art Nouveau architecture. By . Kominicki senior staff writer Nancy France must have been an irresistible attraction for the Small band of artisans and architects who embraced the turn of the Century movement known As Art Nouveau. For starters Nancy is a virtual Monument to the baroque the exact sort of banged and frilled styling the artists wished to sweep clean. As such the City offered countless objects of contempt for those Early lovers of clean lines. Another plus was Nancy s reputation As a Center of Iron and other Metal which was just coming into popularity As a building material. If form was to be everything if the time had come to highlight what others had spent centuries covering up what better material than Iron the very stuff from which supports and braces were to be built finally there is Nancy s Long history of Glass making to consider. The fluidity of molten Glass and Crystal coupled with the endless choices of color and Hue must have offered thrilling possibilities for the erstwhile disciples of the new Art. The members of what would eventually be called the Quot Nancy school Quot began to work their magic on everything from Parks to private Homes in the City around 1899. Among them were Emile Galle a decorator and Glassmaker who ranks As one of the founders of the movement Glass makers Antonin Daum and Jacques Gruber woodworker and ironworker Louis Majorell artist Victor prove and architects Henri Gutton and Emile Andre. The artists work is still there for those who have the time to stroll Nancy s Side streets and boulevards from Majorell s fabulous Villa to the ceiling of the credit Lyonnais from the exciting Interior of the Excelsior restaurant to the delicate Tulip window by Gruber on Rue Charles Iii. In All there Are some two dozen of the movement s finest works All built within a Short eight or nine years. For a self guided tour ask the tourist office for the itinerary 1900 guide to Nancy s Art Nouveau Sites. It is available in English. An incredibly comprehensive collection of the artists decorative work including furniture lamps silverware glassware and much much More is packed into the Musee de i Ecol de Nancy museum of the school of Nancy. Located at 36-38 Rue do Sergent Blandon the rather Plain building was originally the Home of Eugene Corbin a Patron of the Art Nouveau movement. The museum is open 10 . To noon and 2-5 . Until april 1, when it remains open until 6 . Closed tuesdays. Admission is 12 francs about $2.50 children under 10 Are free. Sorry no cameras. A warning Many visitors May find that the collection is just too much of a Good thing. Only the most zealous Art Nouveau fans will be Able to take More than about a half hour. M  y \ scam m i a i 111 the door behind this Grill and Glass leads to a museum with an extensive collection of Art Nouveau creations by various artists. January 2i, 1992 stripes Magazine