Antoni Gaud

Biography

Antoni Gaud i Cornet was born on 25 June 1852 in Reus. His father and both his grandparents were boilermakers and he learned his special skill in dealing with three-dimensional space by observing them.

He moved to Barcelona in 1869 and gained his diploma on architecture in 1878. Many of Gaud's works were commissioned by Eusebi Gell i Bacigalupi, his most enthusiastic client and friend.

At the beginning of the 20th century Gaud was one of the most outstanding architects with buildings such as the Gell Palace, Casa Vicens, El Capricho, Casa Mil, Casa Batll, the crypt at ColniaGell, etc.

Casa Batll

Gell Palace

Those who look for the laws of Nature, as a suport for their new works, collaborate with the Creator. Antoni Gaud

Erasmus students in Antoni Gauds crypt in Colnia Gell.

In 1914 he abandoned all other work to concentrate on the Sagrada Familia.

Erasmus stundents in La Sagrada Familia.

On 10 June 1926 the architect died from injuries suffered after being run over by a tram. Two days later he was buried at the Sagrada Familia after a massive funeral in which most of Barcelona took the streets to pay homage to the most brilliant and universal architect that the city had ever seen.

Modernism in Catalonia

As part of a general trend in Europe around the turn of the 20th Century, Catalan modernism had a distinct personality. Not only in Barcelona city but also in other towns and villages in Catalonia.The most famous modernist architect is Antoni Gaud, but there were other influential architects such as Llus Domnech i Montaner, Josep Llus Puig i Cadafalch, Josep Maria Jujol, Joan Rubi i Bellver and Enrique Nieto.

Domnech i Montaner

Puig i Cadafalch

Josep Maria Jujol

The main characteristics of Catalan modernism are the predominance of the curve over the straight line, the rich decoration and detail, the frequent use of vegetal and other organic motifs, the taste for asymmetry, a refined aestheticism and dynamic shapes.

Other decorative arts supported architecture. Thus, painting, sculpture, cabinetmaking, carpentry, forged iron, ceramic tiles, ceramics, glass-making, silver and goldsmith work had a great importance in the decoration and design of the buildings.