The Horta Museum pursues an original approach in showing how the two popular art movements were more of a continuity than a confrontation in its new exhibition Art Nouveau versus Art Deco? 1850–1950: A Century in 31 Seats. By focusing on the chair – an everyday object as well as an iconic piece of furniture – it offers a rare insight into the competing and complementary philosophies of five generations of designers and architects. With some 30 exceptional chairs from this fascinating era, the museum
illustrates how these style pioneers were interconnected, while aiming to inform, educate and surprise visitors. The object itself serves as an ideal medium: an everyday piece of furniture but one of the most complex to design. Seating is also a universal function that reflects style, design, architecture and society, underlines co-curator Benjamin Zurstrassen. An additional temporary display of stool prototypes by industrial design students from La Cambre adds a contemporary touch. Their designs are dotted throughout the museum, with one to later be selected to
join the permanent collection. The exhibition itself begins with six select pieces, each presented in dialogue to highlight the show’s premise. An Art Nouveau armchair by Victor Horta (pictured) that combined practicality with style is a perfect blend of line, structure and ornament, says Zurstrassen. In an opposing corner, an early Art Deco lounge chair epitomises Dutch modernist design movements with linear forms and a contrasting semi-circular backrest. Tucked in an alcove is a pair of smaller chairs, including a major discovery of a piece
made by Brussels Art Nouveau designer and architect Paul Hankar for his own home. It possesses an intriguing framework offset by upholstered seating with a delicate floral motif. “The chair is a fine example of the movement’s obsession with combining structure and aesthetic,” says Zurstrassen. A visually striking chair (pictured above right) by Glasgow designer Charles Rennie Mackintosh retains an air of mystery. While appearing simple with its elongated backrest, the subtly complex design elements include a style aesthetic that morphs from a square base
to a gently curved top. It was designed for a tearoom in Glasgow, the deliberately dark colours contrasting with white walls, while the exceptionally high back provided an air of intimacy for users. In a central section, a display cabinet presents a series of exceptional pieces by European designers that exemplify the prevalent aesthetics of the 1910 period, from a newer approach to floral patterns that combined geometric shapes and technical advances that enabled wood to be moulded and tubular metal to be formed. These
styles were also increasingly accessible to a wider public thanks to new industrial manufacturing processes. Standout works include an eminently stylish fabric seat by Josef Chochol (pictured) that was designed for an English circle at Prague city hall. Another surprising inclusion is an early 1914 chair by Le Corbusier, the pioneering French modernist architect and designer. While forging his own identity, he drew on the popular Napoleon style and German Beidermeier furniture in this elegant commissioned piece. One important aspect behind the evolving styles was
their use in public spaces, from hotels and waiting rooms to other professional settings such as medical practices and barbers. A final space presents a chronological overview exploring designers’ inspirations, influences and experimentation as they sought to create an object that responded to the rapidly changing needs of their age. Displayed in two rows, one on top of another, the scenography accentuates their similarities and differences, although the show invites viewers to focus on their commonality rather than division in style. The Great Exhibition of
London in 1851 had been a monumental event that drew over six million visitors from all over the globe. It proved to be something of a turning point “as people were shocked by the bad quality of the design,” says Zurstrassen. It spurred designers to make furniture that made sense and had an “honesty” about it, he continues, pointing to an idiosyncratic chair (pictured above) by French designer Edward Welby Pugin that was created for an English hotel in 1870. The whole structure of the
chair is visible, including its fixations; a practice employed by shipbuilders. Along with other radical designs from the emerging Art Nouveau period, it inspired many an early 20th century designer. They included Battista & Gino Giudici, whose Lido chair (pictured) from around 1935 was a bold design with its sinuous steel tubes that also combined practicality in its ability to adopt a reclining position. While floral motifs were associated with Art Nouveau, this celebration of nature was also an ornamental element favoured by later designers.
Another shared influence was inspiration from abroad. A chair by the Italian designer Bugatti – the brother of the famous racing car designer – draws on the Middle East in its materials and marquetry. Meanwhile, Japan and its structural linear forms was a rich source of inspiration for designers as well as artists in the second half of the 19th century. Although Brussels was the birthplace of Art Nouveau, notes Zurstrassen, the pioneering style movement was also a continuation of the arts and craft movement
developed by designers such as Britons William Morris and Edward William Godwin. Examples of both of the highly-influential craftsmen’s work is on display, including Morris’ Sussex chair. The rise in industrialisation led some designers to turn to such rural styles. Charlotte Perriand was a French architect and designer who worked with Le Corbusier. After innovatively employing aluminium, glass and chrome in her oeuvre, she discovered simple pieces made by shepherds during a hiking trip in the mountains. It radically changed her approach, evident in a
chair that was presented in Brussels in 1935. But this ‘back to the roots’ style also attracted contempt from other modernist designers, comments Zurstrassen. With an exceptional variety of European designers’ work on display and a lucid curatorial approach, this succinct show enhances the ongoing focus on Art Nouveau and Art Deco. The two movements continue to intrigue and enchant. Art Nouveau versus Art Deco? 1850–1950: A Century in 31 Seats Horta Museum Until 10 January Rue Américaine 27 Ixelles Photos: (main image) View of
the show ©Thomas Lancz; Legless seat circa 1950 ©2026-Eames Office-LLC; Horta chair ©Thomas Lancz; Hankar ©Grand Curtius Ville de Liege; Armchair 1910-1911 ©Josef Chochol ©The Museum of Decorative Arts in Prague ©photo Gabriel Urbanek Ondrej Kocourek; Chair for Granville Hotel, Ramsgate, UK ©Edward Welby Puginc, Grand Palais Musee d’Orsay ©Rene Gabriel Ojeda; Battista & Gino Giudici, Lido chair 1935 ©Antoine Grenez
Horta Museum, Art Nouveau, Art Deco, 31 seats, Victor Horta, Paul Hankar, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, Le Corbusier, Josef Chochol, Edward Welby Pugin, Charlotte Perriand