It is difficult to believe that a piece of architecture that was acclaimed in its period, barely more than a century ago, and built with a masterly savoir faire out of the finest quality materials, should be revealed to be so fragile. Its history could become the plot of a modern fable.

This exhibition, which the Maison Autrique is dedicating to Victor Horta, proposes following or retracing the key moments of a piece of architecture which has long since disappeared. This initiative is another push in the movement to recover Art Nouveau history, a movement that has been of the highest importance in the Brussels region for several years.

"Victor Horta - A Lost World", open to the public until 31 December 2011, fulfils expectations: the pieces, works and films presented are simply extraordinary. The exhibition is structured around three themes: projects which were never undertaken (such as the Congo Pavilion), those that destiny has done away with (l´Innovation department store, for example) and those which humans have destroyed (the Maison du Peuple is the most iconic example).

These vanished projects come alive again at the Maison Autrique in different ways: Horta´s plans and sketches, impressive remains (which you can even touch), reconstructions and some period film pieces. The whole forms a highly coherent, varied exhibition.