pompous and empty. (…) And what if, instead of paying for 300,000 francs of "passions", the government simply bought works of art? Commissioned in 1890 by King Leopold II for 136,000 francs, the work was centered around the theme of the happiness and the sins of mankind dominated by death. It also depicted the "negative" passions of mankind such as war, rape and suicide. The relief had been very controversial ever since the presentation of the project in 1886. Although enthusiastic at the beginning, art critics especially regret the lack of cohesion of the work. Despite the controversy, the Belgian State acquired the work in 1890 for installation in the Cinquantenaire. Werner Adriaenssens is also inclined to deny the work mythical status: Sure it’s large, as Lambeaux intended, but hardly a masterpiece. The relief consists of separate groups rather than forming a whole. Unfortunately Lambeaux never explained his intentions. Even the title isn’t his. On 1 October 1899, Horta's temple was officially inaugurated and the work revealed to the public. The unveiled way in which Lambeaux depicted the male and female nude was highly debated in the press. The relief depicting uninhibited nudes in any manner of carnal delights caused scandal. Nudity was not the only problem: the representation of the crucified Christ below Death outraged conservative Belgium. The open building was concealed from public view with a wooden barricade only three days after its first public presentation. Finally the government responded to the criticisms by asking Horta to close the front of the building with durable materials in 1906. The front wall came in 1909. The building finally reopened in 1910, without official opening, and remains unfinished. The Belgian state ordered a plaster copy of Lambeaux's relief for its display in several World's fairs. The copy is today on display at the Fine Arts Museum of Ghent, Belgium. A fragment of the work won in 1900 a medal of honour at the World fair of Paris. Notes References Citations Bibliography Further reading External links Cinquantenaire Art Nouveau architecture in Brussels Neoclassical architecture in Belgium Pavilions Victor Horta buildings Jef Lambeaux Cultural infrastructure completed in 1896 World's fair architecture in Belgium