Introductory tour - Paviljoen der Menselijke Driften

In the Cinquantenaire Park stands a small building with the appearance of a Greek temple. For the young Victor Horta, this pavilion was his first public commission. The design, which contains Greek elements, also shows the principles of Art Nouveau, visible in the details. Inside is the monumental relief The Human Passions by Jef Lambeaux. This impressive work of art (11 meters long and 6 meters high) in Carrara marble depicts the pleasures and sufferings of humanity. Since 1898, the neoclassical temple of Victor Horta and the relief of Jef Lambeaux have been inextricably linked. The tense relationship between the two artists, the sensually winding nude, and the building, often closed due to its precarious condition, have contributed to the story, 'scandal,' and mystery surrounding the pavilion. After a thorough restoration in 2019, the pavilion regained its original grandeur.