Private house of the architect Paul Saintenoy

Paul Saintenoy was one of the prominent architects of his time, as well as a member of various associations, in particular the Royal Commission for Monuments. The house actually already existed and he altered it, introducing Art Nouveau elements.

EXTERIOR

This imposing private mansion, with its twenty-four metres of façade, was built in 1872. It was later purchased by Saintenoy, who made it his home. The Eclectic style remains apparent in the façade, with its distinctly separated registers, under a mansard roof. You might think you are in Paris...

However, approach the window of the small building to the right of the main façade and study it; there you will discover one of the most beautiful Art Nouveau stained glass windows in Brussels. Created by craftsman Raphaël Evaldre and based on a cartoon by the famous painter Henri Privat-Livemont, it represents a woman’s profile emerging from the centre of a swell of clearly Japanese-inspired waves. Called “La Vague” (The Wave), this stained glass window actually refers directly to the print of the same name by Hokusai. In the evening, when lit from the interior, it reveals all of its beauty...

INTERIOR

The varied tastes of the architect, who admired older styles such as medieval or Renaissance architecture, resulted in rich spaces reflecting very diverse influences: Renaissance arches, carpets taking their inspiration from the Middle Ages and a Louis XVI-style staircase. It is actually on the landing of this staircase that you will find the house’s second Art Nouveau stained glass window, which is also attributed to Privat-Livemont.