€800k Restoration of Victor Horta's Brussels Maison-Atelier Begins
The Horta Museum in Brussels, crafted by Victor Horta and finalized in 1901, is currently being restored with €800,000 provided by the Saint-Gilles municipality. Renovations, managed by Elisabeth Horth, are taking place while the museum remains open. Experts are focused on restoring carpentry, mosaics, and glasswork. Delphine Mesmaeker is working on removing overpainting from Pieter Braecke's bas-reliefs, while Camille Meslay employs Roman methods to clean tile mortar. Horta's design, characterized by curvilinear patterns and a domed skylight, originated when he acquired the land in 1898. After selling the house post-WWI, it transitioned into a museum in 1969. The restoration is anticipated to be completed by November, with ongoing upkeep planned.
Key facts
- The Horta Museum in Brussels is undergoing a restoration funded by €800,000 from the Saint-Gilles municipality.
- The house was completed in 1901 and was the home and studio of Belgian architect Victor Horta.
- The restoration began in February and is expected to finish in November for the current phase.
- Elisabeth Horth is the head of historical heritage at the museum overseeing the restoration.
- Delphine Mesmaeker is a sculpture restorer using a scalpel to remove overpainting from bas-reliefs by Pieter Braecke.
- Camille Meslay is a mosaic conservator cleaning mortar between tiles using Roman techniques.
- Horta fled to London and the US after Germany invaded Belgium in WWI.
- The Saint-Gilles municipality purchased the house in 1961, and it opened as a museum in 1969.
- Four of Horta's townhouses were designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000.
- Brussels hosted a year-long Art Nouveau festival in 2023.
Entities
Artists
- Victor Horta
- Pieter Braecke
- Delphine Mesmaeker
- Camille Meslay
Institutions
- Horta Museum
- Saint-Gilles municipality
- UNESCO
Locations
- Brussels
- Saint-Gilles
- Rue Américaine
- Ghent
- London
- US