Program
Art Nouveau and Chicago Architects
Before Art Deco, another design style was favored by Chicago's great architects as a way to add character to their buildings. Explore the city's connections to Art Nouveau and the architects that designed in the style through various buildings that can still be seen today.
Chicago is famous for its Art Deco buildings and ornamentation, but what about Art Nouveau? The Art Nouveau style preceded Art Deco by a generation. Some of Chicago’s preeminent early architects, including Louis Sullivan and Daniel Burnham, incorporated Art Nouveau designs into their architectural decoration. This presentation will illustrate Art Nouveau's signature elements, highlighting sites and installations in the city where the style can be seen firsthand.
Presenter: Maurice Champagne
Maurice Champagne is in his 18th year as a docent and is certified to lead an impressive 25 different CAC tours. He has helped develop new tours; written numerous articles for CAC docent publications; published the e-book Building the Field Museum: a 35 Year Battle; and lectured at the Newberry Library, the Field Museum and the CAC. In 2021, Maurice participated in virtual presentations celebrating the Field Museum’s 100th anniversary. Before becoming a docent, Maurice taught high school English and computer science, then worked as a computer consultant.