"Horta successfully combines novelty with tried-and-tested methods to realize a work potent with fresh beauty and infused with reason and harmony." VICTOR HORTA'S VISION Art Nouveau, Fusion of Function and Form KATE SWOFFORD C WORKING AT T H E TURN OF T H E CENTURY, T H E BELGIAN VICTOR HORTA WAS O N E OF ART N O U - VEAU'S PREMIERE ARCHITECTS AND D E S I G N E R S . T H E GOALS OF HIS WORK ARE REALIZED MOST S U C C E S S F U L L Y IN T H E T O W N H O U S E S HE CREATED. PRACTICALITY AND T H E AESTHETICS BLEND SEAMLESSLY T O G E T H E R , RESULTING IN B U I L D I N G S SIMULTANEOUSLY REVOLUTIONARY IN THEIR INNOVATION AND CLASSICAL IN THEIR EMPHASIS ON HARMONY AND ORDER. AS CHARACTERISTIC O F ART NOUVEAU, T H E FIRST S E L F - C O N S C I O U S L Y MODERN STYLE OF ARCHITECTURE, HORTA STRESSED ORGANIC FORMS IN DESIGN AS WELL AS STRUCTURE. HE COUNTERBALANCED T H E IN- HERENTLY STATIC AND RIGID NATURE OF T H E EDIFICE WITH NATURAL, CURVING SHAPES TO REN- DER T H E H O M E MORE APPEALING TO ITS RESIDENTS. FURTHERMORE, HORTA AND HIS CLIENTS SAW THEIR ASSOCIATION WITH ART NOUVEAU AS A REFLECTION OF THEIR ULTRA-LIBERAL, PRO- GRESSIVE POLITICAL VIEWS. IN MANY WAYS, VICTOR HORTA'S WORK REPRESENTS T H E PINNACLE OF ART NOUVEAU, NOT SIMPLY IN ITS REJECTION O F ARCHITECTURAL C O N V E N T I O N S AND ITS EMPHA- SIS ON INTEGRATION, BUT ALSO IN ITS RESPECT FOR T H E MERIT OF CLASSICAL WORKS. THIS C O N - C U R R E N C E IS AT T H E HEART OF VICTOR HORTA'S S U C C E S S . Towards the end o f the n i n e t e e n t h century, the architec- ture o f V ic tor H o r t a revo lut ion ized the established styles o f B e l g i u m , spreading the style o f art nouveau t h r o u g h o u t the whole o f Europe. H i s p u l s i n g , organic designs heavily contrasted w i t h the r i g i d i t y o f the other b u i l d i n g s , yet, be- cause he was such a s k i l l f u l architect a n d craftsman, Hor- ta's b u i l d i n g s were sound, logical , a n d supremely func- t iona l . Perhaps the finest examples o f this sought-after c o m b i n a t i o n are his Brussels townhouses . Horta 's t r i - u m p h o f fus ing architectural s tructure w i t h the superficial style o f art nouveau extends to the i n d i v i d u a l psychological r e a l m , i n w h i c h the client's part icular personal needs com- b ine seamlessly w i t h an innovat ive and u n i q u e aesthetic e lement. As a style, art nouveau or ig inated i n Paris t h r o u g h craft w o r k . I t was n o t wide-spread or popular b u t s i m p l y an ant ic ipat ion o f the cont inenta l craze that was soon to fol- low. I t was n o t u n t i l H o r t a that w h o l l y art nouveau archi- tecture was constructed. The d o m i n a n t architectural style o f the t i m e i n B e l g i u m was Eclecticism. Di f f i cu l t to define by an inveterate distinctiveness, Eclecticism's u n i f y i n g fea- ture was that i t c o m b i n e d characteristics f r o m other styles (i.e., classical, Baroque, Gothic) to realize an architectural p o t p o u r r i conta ined i n one b u i l d i n g . F u r t h e r m o r e , n e w materials and techniques dissolved the separation between i n t e r i o r and exterior, a n d thus the coherence o f the classi- cal style. A r t nouveau can be considered a react ion to Eclecticism, w h i c h is often referred to as a "degradation o f styles." 1 A r t nouveau offered a comprehensive style, n e w a n d different, w i t h o u t fash ioning the miscel lany for w h i c h Eclecticism was cr i t ic ized. However, i t is d i f f icul t to imag- ine art nouveau's popular i ty w i t h o u t the forerunner o f Eclecticism, since this style generated an atmosphere o f creativity a n d inventiveness i n w h i c h art nouveau could thr ive . Because art nouveau is one o f the styles m o s t closely as- sociated w i t h the idea o f a "Gesamtkunstwerk" (a total w o r k o f art) , i t was expected that the artist seize consider- able cont ro l over the art piece. Even the funct iona l ele- ments o f a w o r k should be aesthetically pleasing and deco- rated. Th i s decadence prov ided s ignif icant artistic license, w h i l e new materials a l lowed for m o r e creative contro l . H o r t a was o f the m i n d that art s h o u l d permeate al l aspects o f l i fe , and the style he f o u n d i n art nouveau meshed beau- t i f u l l y w i t h th is att i tude. However, critics h e l d that art n o u - veau confused practical value and aesthetic value, thus cor- r u p t i n g b o t h . One can discern the inf luence o f I m m a n u e l Kant's con- cept o f "free beauty" i n the nature o f art nouveau: The poetic, religious, didactic, or patriotic ideas that are con- nected with the representation of human figures diverted the attention of the observer from what was truly artistic: the appearance of shapes and colors on a plane or three-dimen- sional space.2 A r t nouveau extended th is superficial a n d aesthetic beau- t y — a r t for art's sake. The style is m a r k e d for its organic i n s p i r a t i o n , curv i l inear fo rms , a n d re ject ion o f r ig id i ty , part ial ly facil itated by the new i r o n techniques at the t i m e , especially that w h i c h allows for easy amalgamat ion w i t h glass. Th i s m e t h o d is evident i n the Royal Greenhouses of Laeken i n Brussels (1875) that A lphonse Balat b u i l t w i t h H o r t a as his understudy. 3 I n this w o r k , one can detect the inf luence o n Horta 's later works i n its r h y t h m and har- mony. Balat was the royal architect to K i n g Leopold I I o f B e l g i u m , g a i n i n g valuable i n s i g h t i n t o the practices o f a h i g h l y ski l led draf tsman. F r o m Balat, H o r t a learned h o w to m e s h materials effectively, b e c o m i n g an exceptionally adroit engineer. H e possessed the necessary c o m b i n a t i o n o f sk i l l and i n n o v a t i o n to spearhead an architectural move- m e n t . B o r n to elderly parents i n 1861, Horta 's heritage seems to have in f luenced his artistic greatness, for he " c o m b i n e d the F lemish i m a g i n a t i o n i n his mother ' s t r a d i t i o n w i t h the Lat in h a r m o n y o f his father's Spanish roots . " 4 H e l ived i n Paris, b u t resided for m o s t o f his l i fe i n Brussels. H e al- ways c la imed his m o s t p o w e r f u l inf luence was s i m p l y w a l k i n g a r o u n d the streets o f Paris a n d soaking u p the ar- BALAT'S M I X I N G O F MATERIALS, S U C H AS I R O N A N D CLASS, W O U L D LATER I N F L U E N C E HORTA'S STYLE. E L E M E N T S F A L L 2 0 1 0 chitectural diversity. Th i s emphasis o n personal experi- ence as opposed to established methods is part ia l ly respon- sible for the organic a n d o r i g i n a l nature o f Horta 's style. Public commiss ions l ike m u s e u m s a n d department stores were close to Horta 's heart, as they b r o u g h t beauty to the masses. The best example o f this is the Maison du Peuple, a b u i l d i n g for meet ings and offices o f the Socialist Party I t was i m p o r t a n t to H o r t a for his b u i l d i n g s to have a con- t i n u o u s flow o f space w i n d i n g t h r o u g h a discreet b u t ex- posed f ramework , w h i c h was nevertheless decorated. T h e f u n c t i o n o f a piece d i d not impede o n its beauty, and vice versa. A sense o f u n i f i c a t i o n w i t h i n a structure was i m - perative for H o r t a , for a house was supposed to facilitate l i v i n g ; i t c o u l d n o t be a c lunky and awkward arrangement o f separate spaces. "Horta was renowned for his ability to solve any architectural quandary, whether it pertained to the melding of materials, measurement, or weight ratio." a n d the general labor force. However, Horta 's funct iona l achievements c o m b i n e d w i t h his u n i q u e decorative ele- m e n t are m o s t evident i n the residences he designed, par- t icular ly his townhouses . Unfortunate ly , what rises fast is soon to fal l , and w h e n art nouveau fel l out o f favor after the t u r n o f the century, m a n y o f Horta 's b u i l d i n g s i n Brussels were t o r n d o w n . T h e destruct ion o f Horta 's works is a loss n o t only to Euro- pean cul ture , b u t especially to the w o r l d o f s t ructura l de- sign. H o r t a was r e n o w n e d for his abi l i ty to solve any archi- tectural quandary, whether i t perta ined to the m e l d i n g o f materials , measurement , or w e i g h t rat io . Resourceful and ski l led, H o r t a used these abil it ies to accompl ish beauti ful- ly designed features d o u b l i n g as funct iona l pieces. H e typically used any c o m b i n a t i o n o f i r o n , stone, and w o o d , b u t the fus ion o f i r o n a n d glass is part icular ly prevalent i n his works , as the availabil ity o f l i g h t is requisite i n Horta 's b u i l d i n g s . Archi tect , i n t e r i o r designer, furniture-designer—these are only a few o f the titles w h i c h H o r t a cou ld c la im. I n his b u i l d i n g s , especially his townhouses , everything—door- knobs , air vents, ra i l ings , stained glass, and cupboards— was designed by H o r t a h imsel f . Th i s fol lows the art n o u - veau n o t i o n o f the "Gesamtkunstwerk" i n w h i c h everything has artistic value. T a k i n g o n a project for H o r t a entai led an enormous t i m e c o m m i t m e n t , so some o f Horta 's cl ients, l ike the Solvay family, became frustrated w i t h the lengthy b u i l d i n g process a n d threatened to drop the c o m m i s s i o n . Overcome by the i n g e n u i t y o f Horta 's designs and his rea- sonable and level-headed nature , they were convinced to y ie ld . 5 I n s p i r e d by vary ing sources a n d styles, Horta 's designs do not translate to be imi ta t i ve l ike Eclecticism, b u t rather a delicate b l e n d o f the established and the avant-garde. One can detect Horta 's classical t r a i n i n g at the academy as w e l l as his study u n d e r Balat. I t shines t h r o u g h i n his stanch respect for balance, symmetry , a n d harmony , and i t is m a r k e d by his rat ional ly shaped superstructures. I n addi- t i o n , the Gothic style h a d an indubi tab le inf luence o n Hor- ta's w o r k . H e was i n s p i r e d by the exhi larat ing feel ing o f u p w a r d p u l l characteristic o f Gothic structures a n d the style's d y n a m i s m . The m o s t obvious a n d u n i q u e character- istic o f Horta 's w o r k is the prevalence o f organic shapes— curvi l inear and s inusoidal . The m o s t notable o f al l o f Horta 's (and the art nouveau movement ' s ) organic shapes is the "coup de fouet," lash o f the w h i p . I t begins i n a parabolic spiral , a n d before the loop is completed, the l i n e curves i n before sharply flicking out . Th i s i m p o r t a n t m o t i f " symbol ized an aspirat ion, the object o f w h i c h was unclear a n d the intens i ty incons is tent—a fluctuating aspirat ion c o n t a i n i n g a t o u c h o f weariness and perplexity . " 6 Regard- less o f the i m p l i c a t i o n s , the w h i p l a s h serves to create a sense o f m o v e m e n t and vivacity i n Horta 's works . The i n - t r ins ic stiffness o f meta l is softened i n t o a de l ight fu l ly complex curv i l inear f o r m . Th i s d y n a m i s m allows the w o r k to appear alive. However, H o r t a never incorporated a direct or explicit i m i t a t i o n o f flora b u t was rather i n s p i r e d by natura l forms . Th i s subtle d i s t i n c t i o n lends his works the i r u l t r a m o d e r n feel relative to the i r t i m e . H e was not por t ray ing nature b u t featur ing its beaut i fu l tendencies i n an edifice that connotes r i g i d i t y a n d inf lexibi l i ty . W h i l e Horta 's works boast exquisite artistry, they were n o t devoid o f deeper psychological and even pol i t ica l purpos- es. H o r t a kept these issues i n m i n d w h e n he designed his townhouses , even t h o u g h the not ions o f "art for art's sake" V I C T O R H O R T A ' S V I S I O N and Kant's concept ion o f "free beauty" were p r o m i n e n t at the t i m e . Schemes, shapes, and colors have the abi l i ty to m i r r o r or evoke certain behavior. T h u s , the psychology o f the c l ient was affected by Horta 's architecture and design. Keenly aware o f this facet o f art, H o r t a took great care and pr ide i n des igning his houses to i n t i m a t e l y f i t the lifestyles and requests o f h is commiss ioners : The desire to carry out [the client's] wishes is one of the keys to the understanding of [Horta's] works. He was not so much guided by the wish to express himself for he finds such an affirmation of the "ego" detestable, but rather it is the case that he is fully aware of the genius and originality of every- thing he creates. Without any doubt one reason for showing such a lack of eagerness to reveal his projects to the press is partly the respect he showed for his clients and their privacy and partly the effort he made to preserve the exclusive char- acter of the creation that he had offered them.7 Such p r o f o u n d respect for his clients and his o w n w o r k part ly explains w h y H o r t a was such a sensation d u r i n g his t i m e . A c c o r d i n g to H o r t a , a house " shou ld n o t on ly reflect the l i fe o f its owner, b u t also be its p o r t r a i t . " 8 A l t h o u g h he sought to meet every feasible desire o f the cl ient, he m a i n - ta ined clarity i n his works , as i n the classical t r a d i t i o n . H e focused o n a few clear ideas and d i d not make arbitrary s t ructura l insert ions; al l h is designs exude rat ional i ty and purpose. Th i s rationale extends to mus ic . Horta 's forms have a repet i t ion and h a r m o n y that r e m i n d one o f mus ic , i n that he derives s imi la r shapes f r o m a c o m m o n struc- t u r e . 9 As noted, H o r t a successfully combines novelty w i t h tried-and-tested methods to realize a w o r k potent w i t h fresh beauty and infused w i t h reason a n d harmony . This rationality, w h i c h was v iewed as synonymous w i t h m o d - e r n i s m , appealed to the bourgeois w o r l d o f Brussels—the class w h i c h could afford Horta 's houses and took interest i n t h e m . One can note h o w carefully H o r t a catered to his clientele. F u r t h e r m o r e , the years leading u p to the t w e n t i - eth century were the he ight o f social ism i n B e l g i u m , w h i c h ushered i n a t i m e o f n e w pol i t ica l t h o u g h t about equality. A n enl ightened bourgeois class sought out a new artistic style to reflect the i r progressive pol i t ica l views and to sepa- rate themselves f r o m the conservative elite. As is the goal o f the cl ient , w h e n a pedestrian walks d o w n a Belgian street and notices one o f Horta 's p r o f o u n d l y dif ferent art nouveau houses, he presumes the owner to be a forward- t h i n k i n g l ibera l . Above al l his other works , Horta 's townhouses m o s t effec- tively convey the superlative fus ion o f f o r m a n d f u n c t i o n . V H e successfully combines the necessary structure o f the b u i l d i n g w i t h characteristic art nouveau style to efficiently u n i t e the physical r e a l m o f the house. The exterior o f the b u i l d i n g is an effective metaphor for the physical e lement o f the w o r k . H o r t a also successfully fuses the deemed f u n c t i o n o f a design w i t h an aesthetic e l e m e n t — w h a t is actually pleasing to the eye and m i n d — t o make the psy- chological aspect o f the house h a r m o n i o u s . F u r t h e r m o r e , H o r t a n o t only unites the physical and m e n t a l spheres o f the townhouse b u t also creates a master fu l c o n t i n u i t y be- tween these t w o components so they fit together br i l l i ant - ly; the house as whole is integrated i n appearance a n d f u n c t i o n . Horta 's first townhouse c o m m i s s i o n was the Autrique House i n 1893. A f r i e n d o f Horta 's , A u t r i q u e was a Free- m a s o n and, l ike m a n y o f Horta 's cl ients, a forward-thinker . H o r t a took o n the project w i t h zeal and even lowered his fees so that w h i t e stone c o u l d be used o n the facade—a feature w h i c h Autr ique ' s budget cou ld n o t i n i t i a l l y cover. Funds were too l o w to provide for l u x u r y and extravagance, so H o r t a had to manage the project accordingly. H o r t a ex- h i b i t e d an ambi t ious and positive att i tude, since "whatever the scope o f the b u i l d i n g , an artistic effort br ings out re- su l t s . " 1 0 A u t r i q u e mere ly needed a l ivable basement, a convenient sta irwel l and hallway, a n d an attached d i n i n g a n d l i v i n g r o o m . Consequently, the layout o f the house is "He successfully combines the necessary structure of the building with characteristic art nouveau style to efficiently unite the physical realm of the house." quite smal l and s imple , yet i t revolves a r o u n d a r o o m y hal l - way g iv ing the modest d imens ions o f the house an inte- grated spaciousness. The neo-Gothic inf luence is evident i n the facade o f the Autrique House. A l t h o u g h perhaps b u l g i n g a l i t t le m o r e E L E M E N T S : : F A L L 2010 t h a n a t rad i t iona l arch, the entrance arch i n re l i e f o f the house was indisputab ly in f luenced by the Gothic era. The arch is stouter t h a n the archetype Gothic arch, b u t i t is ad- justed to be m o r e subtle a n d to equip the house w i t h a he ightened sense o f w i d t h , an e lement w h i c h i t is lacking . I n add i t ion , the depressed arches over the second-floor w i n d o w s contr ibute to the Gothic feel o f the facade, as w e l l as the two pilasters o n the r o o f w h i c h resemble medieval towers. Naturally, H o r t a puts his o w n s p i n o n these ele- ments by adding the organic art nouveau t o u c h o n the p i - lasters, w h i c h correspond to the decorative c o m p o n e n t between the w i n d o w s o n the t h i r d floor. H o r t a directly tackles head-on the c o m m o n architectural p r o b l e m w i t h townhouses - overhang. W i t h such a ta l l and n a r r o w b u i l d i n g , the spectator feels the house is hang- i n g over h i m w h e n he looks u p at i t , an i n t i m i d a t i n g sense that is undesirable i n a h o m e . Horta 's answer is a c o n t i n u - ously recessed facade: the stone starts thickest o n the bot- t o m row, t h e n recesses first at the entrance arch, recesses a second t i m e at the arches o f the second floor w i n d o w s , and a t h i r d t i m e i n t o the veranda o n the t h i r d floor. As a result , the spectator senses that the house grows wider as i t ascends. I n this piece we see Horta 's favorite combinat ions o f mate- rials: w o o d , stone, and i r o n . Each one serves its purpose to accommodate the d imens ions o f the facade, and con- s t ruct ion o f the house: The role of stone is to mediate between the supporting surface and the placement of vertical elements, as in the relief carv- ing under the iron pilasters of the loggia, the weight of which it appears to carry to the wall. The iron is used for high, thin supports, as in the small columns in the mullion windows." H o r t a ut i l izes materials so that they c o m p l e m e n t each other, and he ighten the appearance o f the edifice by cor- rect ing the visual flaws o f its d imens ions . H e discards sev- eral t rad i t iona l rules o f architecture and, to a reasonable degree, lets his creativity be the d r i v i n g force. Despite Horta 's personal artistic flair, the house suits Autr ique ' s needs, character, and budget we l l . Th i s is Horta 's u l t i m a t e goal. Completed i n 1893, w h e n Horta 's talent was i n f u l l b l o o m , the Tassel House was Horta 's second townhouse c o m m i s - s ion, and arguably his m o s t famous w o r k . Tassel h i m s e l f was a professor o f descriptive geometry at Brussels U n i - V I C O T R H O R T A ' S HOTEL SOLVAY, C O N S T R U C T E D I N BRUSSELS I N 1894. T H E O R N A T E B A L C O N I E S ARE I N D I C - A T I V E O F T H E ART N O U V E A U STYLE. versity. H e needed ample enter ta in ing space as he was a bachelor w i t h m a n y fr iends a n d t h r e w frequent parties. As a professor, his study was m e a n t to be the m a i n r o o m o f the b u i l d i n g , and his passion for photography requi red a d a r k r o o m i n his basement. J V I C T O R H O R T A ' S V I S I O N Despite the restrictiveness o f its ta l l and n a r r o w d i m e n - sions, the townhouse is visually g r i p p i n g compared to its neighbors . Th i s can be part ial ly a t t r ibuted to the extraordi- nar i ly s t rong h o r i z o n t a l a n d vertical e lements. A l t e r n a t i n g the color o f stones i n the facade is a u n i f y i n g h o r i z o n t a l e lement, b u t this also serves to emphasize the curve o f the facade itself. The massive r o u n d e d feature o f the house, f r o m the curved consoles o n either side o f the entrance to the i r o n and stone engaged c o l u m n s extending to the roof, is the central and m o s t p r o m i n e n t feature o f the piece. Th i s design serves to u n i f y the piece vertically, flood the house w i t h l i g h t , a n d set i t apart artistically f r o m other ar- chitecture. As i n the Autrique House, H o r t a constructs a cont inuous and w i n d i n g flow o f space t h r o u g h o u t the house w i t h a layout e m p h a s i z i n g the integrated, whole . Th i s feature lends the i n t e r i o r o f the residence its dynamic and energetic quality. For a popular bachelor, th is spa- ciousness was desirable. W i t h o u t an oppressive lateral staircase, the rooms are granted m o r e l i g h t a n d H o r t a is free to adapt ce i l ing levels to correspond to the purpose o f the r o o m . 1 2 A l t h o u g h created i n a p r o f o u n d l y n e w and excit ing style, H o r t a d i d n o t forsake his classical t r a i n i n g . H e takes rec- ognizable, accepted forms l ike the console, cornice, and l i n t e l and modif ies t h e m to his i d e a l . 1 3 The consoles flank- i n g the f ront door exhibi t art nouveau energy and Horta 's organic i n s p i r a t i o n . The classical cornice protrudes f r o m the b u i l d i n g m o r e t h a n is typical . The l i n t e l is n o t a large, r i g i d block, b u t rather sharply curves out to meet the roundness o f the facade above. Once again, this is evi- dence that H o r t a s imultaneous ly represents upheaval and order. The c o l u m n i n the f ront h a l l s u p p o r t i n g the second story is especially representative o f Horta 's b l e n d i n g o f the func- t i o n a l a n d the aesthetic. I t is a necessary e lement to sup- por t the b u i l d i n g , b u t i t is a piece o f art i n itself. The capi- GLASS DOME OVER THE HOUSE VICTOR HORTA BUILT FOR H AT 25 RUE AMERICAINE, BRUSSELS, "li E L E M E N T S '. : F A L L 2010 ta l is a cong lomerat ion o f t w i s t i n g , c u r v i n g brackets reaching out to gracefully support the arch o f the staircase by tangents. One l i n e juts o u t m o r e t h a n the other to sup- por t the b u i l d i n g at a crucia l po int . Yet th is necessary a n d funct iona l design is disguised by the pure aesthetic o f the capital. The visual const i tuent enhances the funct iona l component . Horta 's decorat ion is not supplementary to structure; i t is u n i m p o s i n g , however t rans f ix ing i t may be. A l l aspects o f the Tassel House are so beaut i ful ly a n d care- ful ly c o m p o u n d e d that the house seems to possess l i fe : The display of skillfully sculptured and carefully bonded stones with intermittent iron elements, riveted girders, the metallic profiles of the first floor are interlinked so success- fully that the differentiation of material, form or color can no longer be felt, in fact they seem to merge into tectonic values where they, as functions of support and separation, are close- ly interdependent as in a complex organic system.1* T h e concept o f Horta 's townhouses b e i n g so intr icate and connected that they are l i k e n e d to organisms r u n s a long the same l ines as the concept o f the "Gesamtkunstwerk . " Everything i n the house is created t h r o u g h the filter o f art. After finishing the Tassel House, Horta 's fame was sealed. H e became the highest pa id architect i n Brussels at the t i m e , so his clientele dr i f ted towards the wealthier famil ies i n the c i t y . 1 5 T h e Solvay fami ly sought out H o r t a to reno- vate the i r spacious townhouse . A r m a n d Solvay and his wi fe , h a v i n g i n h e r i t e d the Solvay i n d u s t r i a l chemist ry business and m u c h wea l th , h a d ample funds to grant Hor- ta a lmost complete artistic f reedom. The Solvay fami ly was k n o w n to be l ibera l and to consort w i t h the leaders o f the Socialist m o v e m e n t i n B e l g i u m . A r m a n d ' s uncle , Er- nest, was the entrepreneur that l aunched the fami ly busi- ness. H i s company i m p l e m e n t e d labor re forms l ike heal th a n d accident insurance, an e ight-hour w o r k day, a n d pa id leave over forty years before i t was enacted by law i n Bel- g i u m . 1 4 The newly renovated house was designed to re- flect the l ibera l pedigree o f the owners and the i r progres- sive pol i t ica l leanings, mani fest i n Horta 's avant-garde style. The Solvays needed a h o m e to accommodate a fam- ily, equipped w i t h a private office and enter ta inment ame- nit ies . As noted, H o r t a h e l d c o n t i n u i t y i n h i g h regard and w e n t to great lengths i n the Solvay House to achieve this quality. The b o t t o m r o w o f stone o n the facade is specially adapted to gently curve i n t o the sidewalk. F u r t h e r m o r e , the facade is made o f the same stone as the custom-made sidewalk, so i t "seems l ike a carpet u n f o l d e d before the entrance . " 1 6 Seeming to grow out o f the g r o u n d , this feature is n o t on ly i n v i t i n g , as is desired o f a fami ly h o m e , b u t also allows the b u i l d i n g to deviate f r o m the inherent ly static nature o f b u i l d i n g s i n general. Addi t ional ly , the cornice is non-t rad i - t iona l , gently c u r v i n g out to echo the base o f the b u i l d i n g . As i n the Gothic t r a d i t i o n , stone n o t only serves a v i ta l s t ructura l purpose, b u t is also used as a decorative mater i - al. H o r t a ut i l izes the m o t i f o f a crossbow curve, b o t h i n - verted and p r o t r u d i n g . This produces a r h y t h m i n the fa- cade, l ike the ebb and flow o f the ocean. The four consoles u n d e r the or ie l (bay) w i n d o w s l ikewise demonstrate th i s concept. These consoles and the i r o n brackets u n d e r the i r o n pi l lars " indicate the pressure created by the mass they carry, w i t h o u t break ing the dynamic qual i ty o f the mater i - als used . " 1 7 These organic schemes l e n d energy and move- m e n t to the stone house. The u p w a r d p u l l o f the facade and the s trong vertical ity o f the i r o n pi l lars over the w i n - dows exhibi t Gothic i n s p i r a t i o n as we l l . I n add i t ion , the i r o n c o l u m n s a l low for m u c h w i n d o w space and support i m p o r t a n t bear ing points , a l l o w i n g l i g h t to i l l u m i n a t e the inter ior . Spaces flooded w i t h l i g h t natura l ly appear m o r e open a n d roomy; this is very desirable w h e n l i v i n g i n an u r b a n residence. Horta 's i n g e n u i t y a n d resourcefulness were also developed by the const ruct ion o f this house. A d - h e r i n g to the idea o f the "Gesamtkunstwerk , " H o r t a de- signs c o l u m n a r radiators a n d hot-air vents b u i l t i n t o benches, d i sgu i s ing necessary ut i l i t ies o f the house w i t h i n beaut i fu l designs. The Solvay House differs greatly f r o m the Tassel House, and m a n y other o f Horta 's townhouses , i n that i t includes a grand double staircase. However ideal for a f ami ly a n d typical o f people w i t h the means o f the Solvays, the impos- i n g staircase restricts the flow o f the house a n d b inds i t to a strict symmetry. Th i s house does n o t flow l ike the Tassel House, even t h o u g h H o r t a i n c l u d e d a shaft o f l i g h t i n the m i d d l e o f the b u i l d i n g to compensate for the m o r e r i g i d layout. The residents o f the Tassel House and the Solvay House are quite different: a wel l - l iked bachelor and a wealthy family, respectively. As is h is t r a d i t i o n , H o r t a creates the resi- dence to m i r r o r the people w h o live i n i t . Because o f the central roles o f curvature and nature , two elements his- torical ly associated w i t h w o m e n , art nouveau as a style is considered to be f e m i n i n e . This is n o t to say that w i t h i n art nouveau there cannot be male i n t i m a t i o n s . Approach- ) V I C T O R H O R T A ' S V I S I O N i n g the houses f r o m this perspective, i t is possible to dis- cern a s trong male aspect f r o m the Tassel House and femi- n i n i t y f r o m the Solvay House. Horta 's re lat ionship w i t h the Solvay fami ly was strengthened by the pleasant and inte l l igent wi fe o f A r m a n d Solvay; she unders tood m o r e t h a n her h u s b a n d the importance o f architecture i n m o d - e r n i s m . 1 8 This female inf luence, c o m p o u n d e d w i t h the fami ly aspect generally associated w i t h w o m e n , can ac- o f separate spaces, "a d i s t r i b u t i o n o f space whereby rooms o f dif ferent shapes a n d sizes, o n dif ferent levels, f low i n t o one another and f o r m the elements o f a single organic c o n c e p t i o n . " 1 9 The analogy o f Horta 's construct ions as complex organisms is revived. To fur ther facilitate the c o n t i n u i t y o f the inter ior , he designed a system o f s l id ing doors to enlarge the reception rooms . "As is his tradition, Horta creates the residence to mirror the people who live in it." count for H o r t a des ign ing the facade o f the house w i t h subtle f e m i n i n e curves and two p r o m i n e n t protrus ions f l a n k i n g the centerpiece o f the w o r k — a n arrest ing depres- s ion. These features connote the female body. The Tassel House o n the other h a n d , b e i n g o w n e d by a bachelor, need- ed to convey power and vigor. The central and m o s t eye- catching feature o f this house is clearly the curved p r o t u - berance spanning t w o stories. Th i s characteristic corresponds to male s y m b o l i s m . Once again, the a t t r ibu- t i o n o f gender i n these houses correlates to the personali- ties o f the people w h o live there. H o r t a is subtly t a i l o r i n g his designs to the cl ients. I n 1898, H o r t a began w o r k o n his o w n house w i t h an at- tached studio. Th i s is o f part icular interest w h e n s tudy ing H o r t a because one can discern his o w n tendencies a n d character f r o m the residence; he fo l lowed his o w n be l i e f that a house s h o u l d describe its owner. M u s h r o o m - l i k e arches and stylized butter f ly ra i l ings adorn the exterior o f Horta 's house, perhaps Horta 's clearest i m i t a t i o n o f w i l d - l i fe , i n d i c a t i n g h o w central the role o f nature is to his works . F u r t h e r m o r e , the i r o n w o r k o n the facade is espe- cially delicate, c o n f i r m i n g Horta 's master craftsmanship. The i r o n c o l u m n s o n the veranda are m e t by slender and gracefully t w i s t i n g i r o n brackets f r o m the ce i l ing exuding genuine verve. As beaut i fu l as the exterior o f Horta 's house is, the ins ide is t r u l y breath-taking. As w i t h the Autrique House and the Tassel House, the H o r t a house cannot boast large d i m e n - sions. However, u p o n enter ing the house, one is over- come by undeniable roominess . As for his cl ients, H o r t a m a n i p u l a t e d the elements o f his o w n house to play u p spa- ciousness. For example, the levels that extend o f f the cen- tra l staircase vary. Accordingly , the house evokes a feel ing o f gradual in tegra t ion rather t h a n a chopped-up assembly H o r t a continues what he h a d started at the Solvay House i n respect to the heat ing a n d cool ing o f the house. H e de- s igned a complex system o f air vents and benches serving as radiators. The m o s t famous o f al l these contrapt ions i n the H o r t a house is the g i lded c o l u m n that is a radiator and a support for the stairwel l above. Sensibly, i t is placed amidst marb le , w h i c h generally allows areas to get fair ly cold. Beauty and f u n c t i o n i n t e r m i n g l e again i n the ribs o f marb le c o l u m n s that are used for support and as r o o m d i - viders. I n order to make the second floor l a n d i n g appear wider, H o r t a adjusts the stairs so that they get narrower as they ascend. I n the sta irwel l between the second and t h i r d floor landings , H o r t a bui lds a stained-glass skyl ight to flood the ha l l w i t h l i g h t , so the constr icted area is a l lowed a sense o f spaciousness. As noted , this is a technique H o r t a has used repeatedly, b u t he adds a n e w twis t i n his o w n house: a curvy m i r r o r is b u i l t i n t o the w a l l perpendicular to the sky- l ight , so as to reflect the i n c o m i n g l i g h t , thus increas ing the sense o f spaciousness even m o r e . The entire house is decorated to beautify, to increase the funct iona l i ty o f certain features, a n d to unify. The areas that H o r t a details m o s t met icu lous ly are those situated at the intersections o f rooms . Rebel l ing against t r a d i t i o n , H o r t a does n o t create elaborate centerpieces o f the r o o m , b u t rather diverts a t tent ion to doorways, stairwells, col- u m n s - u n i f y i n g elements. This m e t h o d avoids r e n d e r i n g the house a mere c o m b i n a t i o n o f d is t inct ly dif ferent spac- es. A n o t h e r u n i f y i n g e lement is the use o f color. H o r t a ut i l izes a w a r m color scheme—red ochre, b u r n t orange, pale y e l l o w — t o combat the cold, harsh, n o r t h e r n l i g h t o f Brussels. F u r t h e r m o r e , walls o f a l ighter color accentuate spaciousness, w h i l e darker colors detract f r o m i t . F r o m studying Horta 's house, one can detect that he designed i t E L E M E N T S F A L L 2010 as an escape from the urban life of Brussels, through its suggestions of nature, the manipulation of space and light to battle the small dimensions of the house, and the invit- ing, soothing colors incorporated to comfort. Horta's architectural peers sought the same success that made Horta the most expensive architect i n Brussels. Horta owed his success to many factors: his innovative- ness, skill, diligence, his bourgeoisie clientele, and the fact that the era was ripe for a new architectural style to become popular. Horta's imitators did not possess the mix of cre- ativity and logic, traditional and modern, that he did. I n their attempts to outshine Horta's innovativeness and bring it to a new level, their creations became garish and gaudy. T h e classical elements of Horta's works were lost upon them, and thus, the rhythm and harmony that gave his designs such beautiful aesthetics were gone as well. Horta's subtle and delicate organic shapes gave way to the jarring, arbitrary designs of his successors. T h e rapid decline of art nouveau was not entirely due to the greed and over-ambition of new architects. Art nou- veau was the first purposefully modern style, and the fash- ion-conscious nature of the style, ironically, facilitated its own demise. As architects after Horta frantically tried to outdo their contemporaries with increasingly unorthodox designs, art nouveau began to be seen as tacky. T h e style, as well as Horta's imitators, soon faded. Despite the fleet- ing nature of art nouveau and Horta's popularity, modern architecture is characterized by this initiative of forming an intimate relationship between form and structure. I n a time of mass production, political upheaval, and lack of a definitive architectural style, Horta offered a style that was fresh, complete, beautiful, and very personal. the entablature: lintel - the key horizontal feature above a. door designed for support 14. Loze (28) 15. Borsi (61) 16. Borsi (64) . 17. Ibid. 18. Loze (64) 19. Vinson (71) R E F E R E N C E S Borsi, Franco and Paolo Portoghesi. Victor Horta. New York: Riz- zoli, 1991. Loze, Pierre. Belgian Art Nouveau: From Victor Horta to Antoine Pompe. Ghent: Eiffel, 1991. Moravanszky, Akos. Competing Visions: Aesthetic Invention and So- cial Imagination in Central European Architecture. Cambridge: MIT, 1998. Vinson, Robert-Jean. "The House that Horta Built." Realites, 1973. 71. E N D N O T E S 1. Loze (11) 2. Moravanszky (106) 3. Loze (13) 4. Borsi (9) 5. Loze (64) 6. Borsi (11) 7. Loze (64-65) 8. Borsi (12) 9. Borsi (11) 10. Borsi (53) 11. Borsi (54) 12. Loze (77) 13. Console - a supportive bracket: cornice - the top component of V I C T O R H O R T A ' S V I S I O N