Nestled in the bustling Brussels district of Saint-Gilles is the iconic Maison Hannon, a true masterpiece of Art Nouveau architecture. With its striking white-brick and limestone façade adorned with delicate floral stained-glass motifs and sinuous golden-hued ironwork, Maison Hannon is truly a sight to behold. The house was commissioned in 1902 by the French-Belgian couple Marie and Édouard Hannon, brought to life by their friend, Belgian architect Jules Brunfaut. After being both a grand Art Nouveau statement and a derelict wreck, the building has been newly opened as a museum on June 1st, with the restoration project partly funded by the Region of Brussels & Commune of Saint-Gilles.
The opening of Maison Hannon is part of the year-long festival Art Nouveau Brussels 2023, which celebrates the citywide aesthetic movement that flourished in the late 19th century across western Europe. Although the Belgian capital is widely considered the home of Art Nouveau architecture, it is often overlooked in favor of Barcelona and Gaudí. Pascal Smet, the state secretary of the Brussels-Capital Region, has thus made it his mission to reclaim the city’s title as the Capital of Art Nouveau and make it part of its identity.
Maison Hannon is a true ode to the Symbolist and dreamlike universe envisioned by its creators. With vast Symbolist frescoes and swirling mosaic floors, the building showcases the unique interests of both Marie and Édouard Hannon. While Marie’s interest in botany is apparent in the indoor greenhouse that is integrated into the building’s structure, Édouard’s passion for poetry, antiquity, and photography is evident throughout the building’s bas-relief stone panels and dark room. Maison Hannon truly captures the essence of the golden hour before the sun sets, which is also an allegory of the golden age for the couple, who were in their fifties when they built this house.
The restoration of Maison Hannon is ongoing, with the facade, the living rooms, and the stairwell fully finished. The exhibition space upstairs showcases creations by Belgian architects such as Horta, Van De Velde, Hankar, and Serrurier-Bovy, highlighting the plurality of the Art Nouveau movement. Furthermore, a new Art Nouveau information center called LAB·An has been introduced on the Hôtel van Eetvelde, which explores the link between Belgian Art Nouveau and the Belgian colony of the Congo.
The city’s efforts to restore and showcase its Art Nouveau buildings have brought more awareness, interest, and knowledge about the movement. In the past 20 years, step by step, important houses have been restored and are now open to the public. With the opening of Maison Hannon and the citywide Art Nouveau Brussels 2023 festival, the city is set to reclaim its title as the Capital of Art Nouveau and make it an integral part of its identity.
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