Rene Binet: From Nature to Form

In the tradition of Ernst Haeckel's Art Forms in Nature, this exquisite reproduction of French architect and designer Rene Binet's masterpiece Esquisses decoratives is an inspiring paradigm for artists and designers.

The world's enthusiasm for Art Nouveau reached its apex at The World Fair in Paris in 1900. There René Binet created the main entrance, "la Porte Monumentale." To coincide with the exposition, Binet published in Esquisses decoratives (1896) the plate designs for the gate, along with other sketches of furniture, jewelry, wallpaper, lighting, stained glass windows, signs, wrought iron, and architectural details.

The entire collection of Binet's sketches for Esquisses decoratives are beautifully presented here in color and black and white. Like his renowned gate, they feature the organic structures and intricate embellishments that mirror the great variety of patterns and ornamentation found in the microcosm of nature and epitomize the Art Nouveau aesthetic. Binet credited scientist and artist Ernst Haeckel's work on radiolarians as his inspiration. Two prominent experts on art and architectural history lend their perspectives to this important work in the realm of the decorative arts. Designers, architects, and anyone interested in the nexus of art and science will find inspiration in this invaluable example of Art Nouveau at its most sublime.

Olaf Breidbach, a biologist and art historian, is the director of the Ernst Haeckel Haus in Jena, Germany. His previous books include Art Forms in Nature: The Prints of Ernst Haeckel, Ernst Haeckel: Art Forms from the Ocean, and Visions of Nature: The Art and Science of Ernst Haeckel (all by Prestel).

Robert Proctor is Professor of Architectural History at the Mackinstosh School of Architecture in Glasgow, Scotland.