Gain an in-depth understanding of Art Nouveau architecture, furniture and decorative arts in Brussels and Antwerp, where this style enjoyed its first flowering in the 1890s
See how the style developed, from Victor Horta’s early Autrique House to his magnificent Van Eetvelde and Solvay mansions
Enjoy privileged guided tours of the interiors of Art Nouveau buildings not regularly open to the public
“Christopher obviously has a deep knowledge of the subject and was able to put it into a wider context."
- ACE customer on a previous tour led by Christopher Bourne
The Art Nouveau movement started as a protest by young designers against the revivalist styles of the 19th century and developed into a distinctive style of architecture and applied arts that, briefly, was all the rage in Europe before being swept away by the First World War.
Inspired by writers including Wilde, Proust and Huysmans, and by art movements including Symbolism, Japonisme and Arts & Crafts, the movement was financed by ‘Nouveau Riche’ industrialists. Young designers made the most of technological advances to create the dazzlingly opulent style that still astonishes us today.
In addition to exploring the exterior characteristics of Art Nouveau architecture, situating their aesthetics against the wider backdrop of Brussels typography and history, our tour will also feature special access to house interiors. Private tours will take place at the exceptional Van Eetvelde, lavish Solvay House and elegant Max Hallet Mansion, all designed by Victor Horta.
We will also have time to explore several of the Royal Museums of the Fine Arts of Belgium that include the Old Masters and Magritte galleries, the Musical Instruments Museum and newly renovated Cinquantenaire museum housing Art Nouveau and Art Deco treasures. A further highlight will be the Winter Garden room at the Ursuline Institute, with its original furniture and magnificent stained glass.
We will also see how Art Nouveau was superseded by the more austere, streamlined Art Deco style after 1914, exploring exceptional examples of early Art Deco architecture, influenced by Charles Rennie Mackintosh and Frank Lloyd Wright.
We will stay in the heart of Brussels at the four-star Hotel Le Plaza, a welcoming establishment known for its elegant and traditional atmosphere.
Christopher Bourne
Christopher is an experienced tour leader and art historian who lived in Brussels for 15 years.
This tour will be led by Christopher Bourne, BA. Christopher read History and French at the University of Manchester, and lived in Brussels for 15 years, where he acquired an in-depth knowledge of the city’s architectural, artistic and cultural history. An experienced tour leader, Christopher has been guiding groups on art and architectural history tours in the UK and Belgium for over 20 years. An expert in the Art Nouveau, Arts & Crafts movement, Viennese Secession and Pre-Raphaelite Brotherhood, he is now based in London, where he is a member of the Victorian Society, William Morris Society and the 20th Century Society.
6
£2895
ARNO-26
