Building a Dream. Maison Hannon. The Maison Hannon
Lecture by Grégory Van Aelbrouck (Maison Hannon)
Is Maison Hannon a simple residence or a symbolic universe? How do its architectural choices reflect a quest for harmony between art, science and spirituality? And what do its frescoes, stained glass and materials reveal about the ideals of the Hannon family?
Built between 1902 and 1904, Maison Hannon is far more than an Art Nouveau home: it appears as a symbolic universe. Monumental frescoes, gilded stained glass, sacred geometry, alchemical motifs… all elements suggesting an initiatory journey and an aspiration to harmony between matter and spirit. The role of Jules Brunfaut, the influence of the École de Nancy and Émile Gallé, the presence of antique and Neoplatonic references raise questions: mere decoration or philosophical vision? How do these choices express the ideals of the Hannon family, between science, art and social commitment? This lecture proposes to read this architectural example as a total work of art and as an implicit portrait of the Hannon couple.
Lecture in French.
Grégory Van Aelbrouck is a trained historian, graduated from the Université libre de Bruxelles (ULB). He is the first director-curator of Maison Hannon, overseeing its revival as a museum institution dedicated to decorative arts and fin-de-siècle Symbolism.