Art Nouveau in Brussels - Bruxelles Art Nouveau

ART NOUVEAU IN BRUSSELSby Françoise Aubry, Curator of the Horta MuseumRue Defacqz, Hankar House, P. Hankar. Photo Bastin&Evrard © Min.Rég.Bxl-CapAt the turn of the 19 th , Brussels went through a period of unrivalledeffervescence. The city was beautified under the impetusof King Leopold II, new districts were divided into plotsand turned into neighbourhoods in formerly suburban municipalitiessuch as Ixelles, Schaerbeek or Saint-Gilles, the boundariesof which tend to merge with those of the City ofBrussels proper.Naturally, the middle classes, merchants and artists opted tohave their houses built in the style in vogue: Art Nouveau,also known in English as “Modern Style.” This style was launchedin 1893 by two architects, Victor Horta and Paul Hankar:the Tassel House and Hankar’s own private home were thefirst tokens of a new aesthetic. The use of metal structuresallowed the architects to indulge in amazing innovations, andto open out the facades and interiors to allow light to floodin. Three types of motifs tend to predominate: thearabesque, the floral or animal pattern and the feminine silhouette.At the turn of the century, under the influence of theViennese Secession, forms tended to become geometric, ascircles were combined with squares with greater frequency.Hundreds of houses, but also schools, cafés, and shops rivalledfor originality. Craftsmanship in ironwork, wood, stainedglass and mosaics attained the acme of quality. The buildingsof Strauven, Vizzavona, Hamesse, Sneyers, Cauchie and manyothers turned Brussels into one of the European capitals ofArt Nouveau, alongside Vienna and Barcelona.The decorative arts would not be outdone: posters, gold andsilver work, jewellery, ceramics and glassmaking would findtheir rightful place in the artistic salons – chiefly those of “LesVingt” (The Twenty) and “La Libre Esthétique” (FreeAesthetic). Under the influence of the English Arts and Craftsmovement, of William Morris and Japan, the decorative arts,often referred to as minor in the past, were placed on equalfooting with the Fine Arts: the decorative ensembles ofSerrurier-Bovy and Van de Velde, the posters of Crespin andPrivat Livemont, the jewellery of Philippe Wolfers, the ceramicsof Finch and De Rudder would contribute to makingdaily life more beautiful. Articles in the decoration reviews ofthe period proclaimed art in all and, if possible, for all.Whereas the blaze of Art Nouveau would burn bright for adozen years or so before being followed by Art Deco, alsovery richly represented in Brussels, it still lives on in manystreets of the Belgian capital.And you can discover it at leisure as you walk throughBrussels…45