Jef Lambeaux’s relief is the protagonist in a docudrama directed by Guy Cassiers and written by Erwin Mortier. With a mixed Belgian cast, French speaking and Dutch speaking, in a production by Toneelhuis, Théâtre National, Fondation Mons 2015 and le manège.mons, Passions humaines is a thoroughly Belgian story!
The stage play will open at Le Manège in Mons on April 21st before moving on to Brussels (Théâtre National) and Antwerp (Bourla). From there it will go to Amsterdam and on to a number of Flemish cities. On presentation of their admission ticket, visitors to the temple will be given an attractive discount on their ticket for the stage play in Mons, Brussels and Antwerp.
History of the Horta-Lambeaux pavilion
The story began back in 1889 when Jef Lambeaux presented his charcoal-on-canvas design for Passions humaines to the public at the three-yearly salon in Ghent. Despite the polemic generated by the work, the Belgian state commissioned a marble version of the relief. The young Victor Horta was appointed architect of the shrine which would house it. However, that cooperation was marred by discord as alterations were made to the plan view. The façade was enclosed behind columns and the relief lit only by light infiltrating the space through the roof windows. Marble is the dominant material inside the temple. The floor mosaic consists of little red, white and orange stones and yellow Siena marble colours the walls. In the centre is Lambeaux’s impressive relief carved from seventeen blocks of white Carrara marble and measuring a huge 12 m long by 8 m high.
Two years have been spent restoring Horta’s building. The campaign was financed by Beliris and the work carried out under the direction of the Belgian Buildings Agency. When the building reopened for Open Monuments Days in September 2014, it met with wide public approval. After the winter recess, it is once again ready to welcome visitors.
Practical information Horta-Lambeaux pavilion
Only open during summertime: 28.03 to 25.10.2015 on Wednesdays (14-16.00 hrs) and on Saturdays and Sundays (14-16.45hrs). Closed on Mondays.
Tickets: €7 - €6 - €3.50 available from the Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark Museum ticket office in the park.
Guided tours for groups: ecd@kmkg.be or +32 (0)2 741 72 14. Mornings only; no reservations on Wednesdays.
Horta-Lambeaux pavilion
Parc du Cinquantenaire/Jubelpark, 1000 Brussels
