Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium

 An exceptional crossroads of art and avant-gardes since the exhibitions of the Les XX and La Libre Esthétique, the Brussels of the "Fin de siècle" also brings about a convergence between Symbolism, its variant Idealism and Art Nouveau.

“The Total Work of Art”’, since Wagner's operas, has been a concept that encourages artists, whether painters, composers, architects or writers. Fernand Khnopff, for instance, is both a painter, sculptor, designer of sets and costumes, book illustrator, adept at photography and inventor of his own house "Temple of the I". While symbolists focused more on exclusivity and inwardness, Art Nouveau in theory sought a more "social" practice, introducing beauty into everyday life. The exceptional Gillion Crowet collection mixes these movements and confronts the Brussels creations of Horta, Khnopff , Wolfers or Delville with international examples by Daum, Majorelle, Lalique or Mucha.