Shopping at the Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects fair in Brussels
This weekend Brussels hosted an Art Nouveau and Art Deco object fair as part of the BANAD Festival. Pour yourself a coffee and let’s look round together.
Brussels and Art Nouveau / Art Deco
Above, detail of a mural in an Art Nouveau school complex, where the fair was held.
Brussels is probably best known as the centre of the European Union and the epicentre of European chocolate, shout-out to Neuhaus - my personal favourite. But there is more to Brussels than praline. Nor is it just Eurocrats in expensive suits. It is also the Art Nouveau capital of the world and one of the best places to see Art Nouveau and Art Deco architecture in the wild. The Art Nouveau movement was born here and as such, it is positively dripping with antique gems from the period.
BANAD Art Nouveau and Art Deco objects fair
The decorative objects fair is put on by BANAD Festival (Brussels Art Nouveau and Art Deco), and offers a unique opportunity to look round all the wonderful buildings Brussels has to offer, not normally open to the general public. Check out their website for more details here.
Above, the assembly room / entrance hall from the school building the event was held at, by architect Henri Jacobs (1907-1922)
This event took place in an exquisite school building built between 1907 and 1922 by architect Henri Jacobs. I cannot imagine how fresh and vital and inspiring it must have felt for the first students stepping foot into their new school. How amazing to let children learn surrounded by so much beauty. And wouldn’t that leaf detail make an incredible wallpaper? The baby blue leaves are astounding.
Above, detail from a mural in a school building built by Henri Jacob (1907-1922)
So much beauty in every room. Puts my Dulux daubing to shame!
Just show me the goodies!
I won’t keep you in suspense any longer…. here are some of the beautiful objects I fell in love with….
Above, Art Deco Greyhound
This gorgeous guy piqued my interest. Cream ceramic, bunches of style, a haughty greyhound expression and those chic Art Deco fan shapes.
Above, chair with orange velvet seat
Kind of amazing no? I adore the poppy seed head details.
Above, pair of candlesticks
These wonderful metal candlesticks from the same dealer caught my eye too. Look at the shapes!
Above, Art Nouveau solid silver candlestick pair
And speaking of candlesticks, how about this beautiful pair, solid silver to boot. I cannot help but be obsessed by those luxurious organic forms. Note the tiny uranium glass bottle in the background.
Above, small Art Deco bronze nude of a woman dancing
This classic little bronze really spoke to me of the joie de vivre of the era.
Above, yellow and black tea set and trolly
Tea anyone? Adore the soft buttercup yellow paired with black. Very graphic. Very Deco.
Above, 1930s table lamp by Eileen Grey
I am completely mad for this super chic lamp by Irish architect and designer Eileen Gray (1878-1976). A pioneer of the Modernist movement, Eileen was responsible for creating so many wonderful pieces of furniture and it is well worth doing a deep dive on her here.
FIN
Hope you’ve enjoyed this whizz round a wonderful antiques fair with me. Contact BANAD for more details on anything you see. We’re always out at sourcing trips for No Relation, so if you’re looking for something special for your home, contact us here for a chat. As the saying below says, nothing is impossible.
In the meantime, here’s one more shot of that incredible school.
Above, detail from a school mural