A scandalous Art Nouveau collaboration that set Paris all atwitter at the turn of the century

Ave Rapp on the Left Bank is one of my hidden treasures that I always visit when in Paris. The avenue is home to several examples. It was built in 1901 by Jules Lavirotte, this seven-story creation is probably the most extreme example of the ornamental delirium that is Nouveau that the French capital has hidden away. Lavirotte didn't do it alone, but collaborated with his friends, the ceramist Alexandre Bigot and other fellow sculptors to create this flamboyant and voluptuous façade, making them winners of the annual architectural frontage of Paris that same year. It was also used in the film Gigi, as her aunts home.