The Symbolist interior and crystal imagination

A key insight from this study is the duality of crystal imagery—simultaneously open and closed—as a defining element of Symbolist aesthetics and modernist architecture. The research explores how transparency, translucency, and surface reflectance in materials like glass and mirrors shaped Brussels' late 19th-century artistic and architectural landscape, particularly through the work of Victor Horta. By analyzing patterned glass, mirrors, and rare stones, the study reveals their fascination for Symbolist artists as both transparent and mysteriously interior. It traces the evolution of these themes from Belgian symbolism to German expressionism, highlighting Bruno Taut's Glashaus (1914) as a pivotal example. The paper suggests that the 'crystal imagination'—metaphors evoking unseen worlds—remains a potent source of inspiration for contemporary architectural visions, bridging materiality and vision in modern design.

Dernie, D. (2013). The Symbolist interior and crystal imagination. Architectural Research Quarterly, 17(2), 157–166. https://doi.org/10.1017/s1359135513000511