The art of Art Nouveau

This movement birthed in Belgium features undulating curves, long asymmetrical lines and earthy colours and motifs

- Yamini Chinnuswamy

Art and design are everywhere in Belgium, from the fun murals painted on random facades in its capital Brussels to the quirky stepped gables of Flemish buildings in Ghent.

But the most prominent example of the Belgian flair for visual language must be Art Nouveau, a movement that was birthed in the country in the late 19th century and whose echoes still linger in the present day.

Undulating curves, long asymmetrical lines and earthy colours and motifs are the three key features of Art Nouveau design, and these distinguish it from the Art Deco movement that rose to supersede it in the early 20th century.

Fans of 19th-century Czech painter Alphonse Mucha will recognise elements of Art Nouveau in his art and vice versa. Mucha, who died in Prague in 1939 at the age of 78, made his name in Paris. His work became so synonymous with Art Nouveau in France that the movement there was often referred to as "le style Mucha" (the Mucha style).

His most famous works are his iconic posters that depict a series of women as framed by intricate botanical elements and curved archways, and in muted autumnal shades.

But for those looking for examples beyond the two dimensions of a canvas, there is no shortage of preserved historical buildings in Brussels that imbue Art Nouveau in their interior design and architecture.

Maison Hannon (maisonhannon.be/en), a short drive from the city centre, is one that I visit during a short trip to Belgium in spring.

The corner townhouse in the upscale Saint-Gilles neighbourhood was built in 1902 for engineer Edouard Hannon and his wife Marie. It underwent a nine-year restoration process until June 2023 and small renovations are still ongoing.