Maison Cauchie

About the museum

Maison Cauchie was the personal home of the decorative artist Paul Cauchie and his wife Caroline Voet, known as Lina, whom he had met at the Académie des Beaux-Arts de Bruxelles. The couple married in 1905 and had this house built the same year on a six-metre-wide plot on rue des Francs, near the Cinquantenaire and clearly visible from the neighbouring avenues. Paul Cauchie designed the façade as a huge advertising poster, decorated with sgraffito, to showcase his skills and promote his work.

Paul died in 1952; Lina stayed in the house until her death in 1969. Their daughter Suzanne then inherited the building and sold it about ten years later to Guy and Léona Dessicy. The building, protected but badly deteriorated, was then restored over fifteen years; the sgraffiti of the front room on the ground floor, rediscovered in 1987, were carefully uncovered.

The house has been open to the public since 1994. A non-profit association, founded to preserve and promote the building, has since organised guided tours and activities with the help of volunteers. In summer 2022 the insurance company CDA bought the house.

Highlights

• Poster-like façade decorated with sgraffito, designed in 1905 by Paul Cauchie
• Floor with Art Nouveau interior decoration
• One-hour guided tour in French, Dutch or English
• Narrow, six-metre-wide house, protected and restored

Permanent exhibition

• Visite guidée de la maison-atelier – One-hour visit of the poster-like façade and upper floor of the Art Nouveau house of Paul Cauchie and Caroline Voet, covering their history and work.

Founded

1994

Operated by

La Maison Cauchie asbl

Admission & discounts

The ticket price includes the guided tour. Free entry with the Art Nouveau Pass. Private tours can be arranged in French, Dutch or English (other languages on request) via info@cauchie.be.

Accessibility

• Wheelchair accessible: not available
• Elevator: no information
• Accessible restroom: no information
• Accessible parking: no information
• Service dogs welcome: no information
• Tactile models & exhibits: no information
• Sign language tours: no information
• Easy-to-read materials: no information
• Audio description: no information

The house is hard to access by wheelchair: the front door and main corridor are very narrow, and entry involves several fairly high steps. Tours for blind or partially sighted visitors can be arranged; it is advisable to contact the association.

Kids & families

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Getting there & parking

Address: rue des Francs 5, in Etterbeek, near the Cinquantenaire park.

Amenities & dining

The museum hasn’t published any information on this.

Events & venue rental

As far as we know, the museum does not rent out spaces for external events.

The spaces are currently not available for hire. Private activities (tea ceremony, embroidery workshop…) can be requested from the association.

Plan your visit