Musée Horta (Horta Museum)

Art Nouveau might take its name from the gallery opened by art dealer Siegfried Bing in Paris in 1895, but Brussels considers itself the capital of this medley of related art styles that burst across the Western world at the end of the 19th century and drew on exotic sources, including Celtic, Viking, Asian, and Islamic art. The city owes much of its rich Art Nouveau heritage to the inspired creative vision of Victor Horta, a resident architect who led the style's development. His home and an adjoining studio have been restored to their original condition and are now a museum. They showcase his use of flowing, sinuous shapes and colors in interior decoration and architecture.

A New Art -- Art Nouveau, a new design style, appeared toward the end of the 19th century and flourished for a few decades. Its prime materials were glass and iron, crafted into decorative curved lines and floral and geometric motifs. Belgium produced one of the greatest exponents: Brussels-based Victor Horta (1861-1947). His Tassel House (1893) and Hôtel Solvay (1895) were forerunners of the ambitious Maison du Peuple (1896-99), with its concave, curved facades and location within an irregularly shaped square.

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