In celebration of the centenary of the 1925 Paris Exposition des Arts Décoratifs and the Art Deco Year 2025 in Brussels, the Horta Museum presents a captivating exploration of ornamentation from 1910 to 1940. This exhibition delves into the evolution of motifs, colors, and decorations during a period marked by significant aesthetic, social, and historical transformations.
“100 Motifs, (G)een Motief, All Over” offers a fresh perspective on how design elements evolved between 1910 and 1940. The exhibition showcases nearly a hundred drawings for carpets, wallpapers, and upholstery fabrics, highlighting works by renowned Belgian and international artists such as Victor Servranckx, Eileen Gray, Evelyn Wyld, René Baucher, Sylvie Féron, and Hélène Henry. These pieces, some by anonymous designers, prompt reflection on the role of decor and motif, as well as the expression of fashion during this transformative era.
The exhibition is organized into three thematic chapters, covering upholstery fabrics and fashion, carpets, and wallpapers. It offers a nuanced look at the diversity of creations from this period, moving beyond stereotypes to reveal the richness of early 20th-century decorative arts.
Concept
Between 1910 and 1945, Europe witnessed a profound transformation in motifs and colors, reflecting the era’s aesthetic, social, and historical upheavals. The exhibition offers an overview of the diverse creations from this period, with the motif as the central theme.
When?
From the 15th of may until the 2nd of november, 2025.
- Tuesday to Friday: 2:00 PM – 5:30 PM
- Saturday & Sunday: 11:00 AM – 5:30 PM
- Closed: Every Monday, July 21, August 15
How?
While black-and-white photographs or films often depict the interwar style, textiles like carpets, wallpaper, and upholstery played a pivotal role in interiors, influencing colors, contrasts, and lines. The exhibition is structured around three elements: wallpaper, carpets, and upholstery.
Who?
The diversity is represented through Belgian and European creations:
- Female Artists
- Anonymous Artists
- Recognized Artists
A Final Moment of Joy…
The period between the two World Wars is often referred to as the last golden age of ornamentation, where motifs erupted in unprecedented creative diversity. Some approached the Art Deco movement with their opulence; others, more classical in nature, followed 19th-century styles; yet others distinguished themselves with an unprecedented sobriety often associated with modernism. All these movements form currents that the exhibition subtly addresses: the diversity and richness of forms emerge more prominently than labels, bringing this period closer to a fireworks display of creativity.
The Style for Everyone
The exhibition also examines how these decors were experienced by the majority of the population: how a fashion or style permeates all layers of society and manifests in the interiors of less affluent individuals. Department stores and cinema played a significant role in this context.
An exceptional collection of upholstery designs from the Van Hoe collection illustrates this aspect. These unpublished works, designed by anonymous artists and never before shown to the public, represent high-quality Art Deco with a more popular appeal.
The Style for a Few
In addition to the more democratic creations, bespoke works stand out, crafted by renowned interior designers—the forerunners of contemporary interior architects—who designed complete interiors for the most privileged clients.
Status of the Creators: Europe and Belgium
Many ornament and motif designers have faded into obscurity. This is reflected in the textile designs from the Van Hoe collection, which illustrate the creative richness of the time, yet whose authors may remain forever forgotten.
Some visual artists turned to applied arts (such as wallpaper) to adapt their art for a broader audience and offer a moderated, commercial version of their personal approach.
Other artists specialized further and became decorators, harmonizing and creating complete decorative setups. Some focused on an elite clientele, while others sold their creations in large department stores in Paris or Brussels. Two designer couples will illustrate this aspect, centered around the theme of the carpet: Eileen Gray and Evelyn Wyld, and Sylvie Féron and René Baucher.
Finally, there are rarer makers who specialized entirely in one artistic discipline, for which they were recognized and sought after. The most striking example is Hélène Henry.
