Exhibition Catalogue: Echoes of Dreams. Symbolism in Brussels

The 19th century was not only an age of progress and reason. Behind the image of a “century of engineers” lies a thirst for mystery, hidden harmony, and alternative spirituality. Fascinated by secret correspondences, fin-de-siècle artists turned to esotericism, Wagnerism, alchemy, and mystery cults to re-enchant the world. Symbolism thus became the language of a paradoxical modernity—at once forward-looking and haunted by the idea of a lost Unity.

In Belgium, this aspiration took on a distinctive form. In a young state shaken by industrial and social upheavals, artists reinvested the virtuosity inherited from the Flemish and Italian Renaissances to make it the vehicle of an inner vision. Their Symbolism was both rooted and visionary, intimate and universal, spiritual and agnostic. It combined meticulous detail with metaphysical ambition, turning the artwork into a gateway to the invisible.

The exhibition’s layout follows a guiding thread inspired by the narrative of the Maison Hannon—from darkness to light. Rather than adhering to strict chronology or typology, it offers a thematic progression structured in stages that evoke the great phases of inner transformation: dissolution, purification, elevation. This journey sheds light on the spiritual and philosophical stakes of Symbolism while providing visitors with a coherent and sensitive reading of the works on display.

Specifications
360 pages
260 color illustrations
Texts in French or Dutch, with English translations at the end of the volume.

21 × 28 cm
French ISBN: 978 296 040 490 6
Dutch ISBN: 978 296 040 491 3
Retail price: €45.00

Available in the Maison Hannon and bookstores