Victor Horta (1861-1947) was one of the greatest architects of the Art Nouveau style. Art Nouveau, in French, also known as Jugendstil in German and Modernismo in Spanish, was very popular in Europe at the end of the 19th and early 20th centuries. It is characterised by the use of new materials like iron, ceramics, glass, and the use of decorative forms and elements inspired by nature. One of the innovations applied by Victor Horta is the design of the rooms around a central hall with a glass ceiling where the incoming light created a more natural illumination of the house.