Antoni Gaud And Artworks

Spanish architect and designer, Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) was an important and influential figure in the history of contemporary Spanish art. His use of colour, application of a range of materials and the introduction of organic forms into his constructions were an innovation in the realm of architecture. In his journal, Gaudí freely expressed his own feelings on art, “the colours used in architecture have to be intense, logical and fertile.” His completed works (the Casa Batlló, 1905-1907 and the Casa Milà, 1905-1910) and his incomplete works (the restoration of the Poblet Monastery and the altarpiece of Alella in Barcelona) illustrate the importance of this philosophy. His furniture designs were conceived with the same philosophy, as shown, for example, in his own office (1878) or the lamps in the Plaza Real in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia (1882-1926) was a monumental project which eventually took over his life (it was still incomplete at the time of his death).

Spanish architect and designer, Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926) was an important and influential figure in the history of contemporary Spanish art. His use of colour, application of a range of materials and the introduction of organic forms into his constructions were an innovation in the realm of architecture. In his journal, Gaudí freely expressed his own feelings on art, “the colours used in architecture have to be intense, logical and fertile.” His completed works (the Casa Batlló, 1905-1907 and the Casa Milà, 1905-1910) and his incomplete works (the restoration of the Poblet Monastery and the altarpiece of Alella in Barcelona) illustrate the importance of this philosophy. His furniture designs were conceived with the same philosophy, as shown, for example, in his own office (1878) or the lamps in the Plaza Real in Barcelona. The Sagrada Familia (1882-1926) was a monumental project which eventually took over his life (it was still incomplete at the time of his death).

Catalogus van een tentoonstelling van werk van Catalaanse kunstenaars.

Gaudi's bizarre and romantic buildings, interiors and exteriors, mosiacs and public spaces, have imbued Barcelona with unique character and ensured his place in the pantheon of great architects.

The work of Antoni Gaudí continues to fascinate us today as it fascinated Eusebi Güell in 1878 during his visit to the Universal Exposition in Paris. He was so struck by a glove display case he saw there that he determined to contact its unknown author, a man to whom he would eventually entrust the design of no less than five hugely significant architectural projects. Suffice to mention Sagrada Família, Gaudí's last and most famous work, which amazes visitors today as much as or more than it did in the early 20th century, when its first four towers were just beginning to emerge. But the mark of his genius in Barcelona, Catalonia and Spain and even in the projects he never saw to fruition, such as the skyscraper for Manhattan, is far broader and more nuanced than is generally thought. From El Capricho in Comillas to the schools at Sagrada Família, each building, column, piece of furniture and grille evokes the creativity of a privileged mind for architecture and design.Daniel Giralt-Miracle synthesizes in this easy-to-read book the essential aspects of Gaudí's life, his time, his ideology and his methods, at the same time as he summarises the most significant elements of each work, focusing precisely on that which places him at the pinnacle of world architectural achievement.This has not always been the case however. In the same way as Gaudí's oeuvre is still a work in progress (we are unlikely to see Sagrada Família in all its splendour until 2026, the centenary of his death), its appreciation has evolved over time until the present day, when the architect's exceptional work in ruled geometry can be explained better than ever through computerised design. The book summarises this evolution and brings what we thought we knew about Gaudí up to date with information that has come to light in recent years.

The work of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) defines the city of Barcelona like no other. Its art-nouveau-style spires and visionary eccentricities bestow their unique character on the skyline and make the city a point of pilgrimage for fans of Gaudi's inimitable, playful style.

The fascination that the work of Gaudí arouses is due in large part to the enigmatic symbolism of its forms, full of mystical and philosophical significance that is sometimes difficult for observers to perceive, but which becomes clearer when analysed in the light of certain very influential currents of ideas in the art of the nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Based on the study of Casa Bellesguard and the Temple of the Sagrada Família, this book opens up new avenues for interpreting Gaudí’s symbolism, discovering the ties existing between the work of the Catalan architect and that of the German painter Peter Lenz, which at the same time is rooted in the early Romantic period. Aimed at both specialists and the general public, Antoni Gaudí: Casa Bellesguard as the Key to His Symbolism not only broadens the knowledge and the documentation of Gaudí’s creative universe, but also contributes to enriching our perception of his work.