The Horta Museum in Brussels celebrates the life and work of the Belgian Art Nouveau architect Victor Horta. The museum is housed in Horta’s old workshop and atelier, which he designed in the late 19th century and which rank as some of the best expressions of Art Nouveau architecture. The museum contains examples of furniture, artwork and sculpture from the period.
Art Nouveau was a reaction against the academic and historic emphasis of art and design in the 19th century. It emphasised flowing lines, often inspired by plants, and it prized asymmetry and a sense of movement. Modern materials were also used, such as iron, glass, ceramics and concrete. In particular, Art Nouveau broke down some of the boundaries between fine art (paintings, sculpture) and applied arts (textiles, furniture etc) recognising the artistic merits of the latter on the same footing as the former.
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