Jourdain

Three generations of a leading French design family are covered in this sumptuously illustrated scholarly monograph. Frantz Jourdain (1847-1935), a leading practitioner of art nouveau, is best known for his polychrome design of La Samaritaine, the Paris department store. Friend of Emile Zola and Edouard Manet, he made liberal use of ceramics, earthenware, metal and glass in elegant buildings. His son, architect-decorator Francis Jourdain (1876-1958) discarded art nouveau influences in favor of a simple yet expressive rationalist style, effectively on display here in lamps, carpets, stage sets, ceramics and interiors. Frantz-Philippe Jourdain (b. 1906), son of Francis, revealed his predilection for industrialized architecture and prefabrication in designs for garages, pavilions, schools and houses. Smoothly translated from the French, this volume is decked out with color photographs, architectural drawings, paintings and memorabilia. (Aug.)