Professional Documents
Culture Documents
A. Gaudi
A. Gaudi
A. Gaudi
Antoni Gaud
Antoni Gaud
Born
Died
Antoni Gaud i Cornet (Catalan pronunciation:[ntni wi]) (Riudoms or Reus,[3] 25 June 1852 Barcelona, 10
June 1926) was a Spanish Catalan architect and the best-known representative of Catalan Modernism. Gaud's works
are marked by a highly individual style and the vast majority of them are situated in the Catalan capital of Barcelona,
including his magnum opus, the Sagrada Famlia.
Much of Gaud's work was marked by the four passions of his life: architecture, nature, religion and his love for
Catalonia.[4] Gaud meticulously studied every detail of his creations, integrating into his architecture a series of
crafts, in which he himself was skilled, such as ceramics, stained glass, wrought ironwork forging and carpentry. He
also introduced new techniques in the treatment of the materials, such as his famous trencads, made of waste
ceramic pieces. After a few years under the influence of neo-Gothic art, and certain oriental tendencies, Gaud
became part of the Catalan Modernista movement which was then at its peak, towards the end of the 19th century
and the beginning of the 20th. Gaud's work, however, transcended mainstream Modernisme, culminating in an
organic style that was inspired by nature without losing the influence of the experiences gained earlier in his career.
Rarely did Gaud draw detailed plans of his works and instead preferred to create them as three-dimensional scale
models, moulding all details as he was conceiving them in his mind.
Gauds work has widespread international appeal, and there are innumerable studies devoted to his way of
understanding architecture. Today he is admired by both professionals and the general public: his masterpiece, the
Sagrada Famlia, is one of the most visited monuments in Spain.[5] Between 1984 and 2005 seven of his works were
declared World Heritage Sites by UNESCO. He awakened to his Roman Catholic faith during his life and many
religious symbols can be seen in his works, a fact which has led to his being nicknamed "God's Architect"[6] and
calls for him to be beatified.[7] [8]
Antoni Gaud
Biography
Birth, childhood and studies
Antoni Gaud was born in 1852, to the industrial
boilermaker Francesc Gaud i Serra (18131906) and
Antnia Cornet i Bertran (18191876). He was the
youngest of five children, of whom three survived to
adulthood: Rosa (18441879), Francesc (18511876)
and Antoni. Gauds family origins go back to the
Auvergne region in southern France, from where one of
his ancestors, Joan Gaud, a hawker, moved to
Catalonia in the 17th century; the origin of his name
could be Gaudy or Gaudin.[9]
El Mas de la Calderera, home of the Gaud family in Riudoms.
Gauds exact birthplace is unknown because no
documents stating it were kept, leading to a controversy
about whether it was Reus or Riudoms (two neighbouring municipalities of the Baix Camp district. In most of
Gaud's identification documents from both his student and professional years, Reus is given as his birthplace.
Nonetheless, Gaud himself stated on various occasions that it was Riudoms, where his paternal family were
from.[10] What is known is that he was baptized in the church of Sant Pere Apstol in Reus the day after his birth.
The name that appears on his baptismal certificate is "Antoni Plcid Guillem Gaud i Cornet".[11] Gaud felt a deep
appreciation for his native land, and his great sense of pride of being from the Mediterranean is a proof of this. It had
a notable influence on his architecture: Gaud used to say that Mediterranean people have an innate sense for art and
design, that they are creative and original, whereas Nordic people are more technical and repetitive. In Gauds
words:
We own the image. Fantasy comes from the ghosts. Fantasy is what people in the North own. We are
concrete. The image comes from the Mediterranean. Orestes knows his way, where Hamlet is torn apart by his
doubts.[12]
Antoni Gaud
The time spent in his native land helped Gaud to get to know and
study nature profoundly, above all his summer stays in the Mas de
la Calderera, home of the Gaud family in Riudoms. He liked the
contact with nature and because of this he later on became a
member of the Centre Excursionista de Catalunya (1879), an
organisation with which he made numerous trips around Catalonia
and southern France. Sometimes, he used to horse-ride, or walked
around ten kilometres a day.[13]
Young Gaud was of a sickly nature; he suffered from rheumatism
from childhood, which led to his rather reticent and reserved
character.[14] This may also have been the reason for his becoming
a vegetarian[15] [16] along with Dr. Kneipps hygienist theories.[17]
Because of these beliefsand for religious reasonshe
sometimes imposed severe fasting on himself. He took this to a
point where it became life threatening, such as in 1894, when he
fell seriously ill as the result of a lengthy period of fast.[18]
Gauds first studies were at the nursery school run by Francesc
Gaud (in the background) with his father (centre), his
Berenguer, whose son, also called Francesc, would later become
niece Rosa and doctor Santal during a visit to
Montserrat (1904).
one of Gauds main assistants. Subsequently, he attended the
Piarists school in Reus; his talent for drawing stood out during his
participation in the seminar El Arlequn (the Harlequin).[19] He also worked as an apprentice in the Vapor Nou
textile mill in Reus for some time. In 1868 he moved to Barcelona to study teaching in the Convent del Carme.
During his adolescence he was interested in utopian socialism and with his fellow students Eduard Toda i Gell and
Josep Ribera i Sans he planned a restoration of the Poblet monastery that would have transformed it into a Utopian
phalanstre.[20]
Between 1875 and 1878, Gaud completed his compulsory military service in the Infantry regiment in Barcelona as a
Military Administrator. He spent the majority of his service on sick leave, which allowed him to continue his studies.
Due to his position he was not forced to fight during the Third Carlist War, which took place during this period.[21]
In 1876 his mother died at the age of 57, and so did his brother Francesc, 25, who had only recently graduated as a
physician; he never got to practice his profession. Gaud studied architecture at the Llotja School and the Barcelona
Higher School of Architecture, from which he graduated in 1878. Apart from his architecture classes, he attended
French lectures and studied history, economics, philosophy and aesthetics. His grades were average, some of them
were fails; Gaud cared more about his own interests than those of the official courses.[22] When handing him his
degree, Elies Rogent, director of Barcelona Architecture School, said: We have given this academic title either to a
fool or a genius. Time will show.[23]
To finance his studies, Gaud worked as a draughtsman for various architects and constructors such as Leandre
Serrallach, Joan Martorell, Emili Sala Corts, Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano and Josep Fontser.[24] Maybe
that was why Gaud, when receiving his degree, said to his friend the sculptor Lloren Matamala, with his ironical
sense of humour:
Lloren, theyre saying Im an architect now.[25]
Antoni Gaud
Antoni Gaud
[27]
had requested from him. The project was never executed, but the towers Gaud had designed for the Missions
served him as a model for the towers of the Church of the Sagrada Famlia in Barcelona.
In 1899 Gaud became a member of the Cercle Artstic de Sant Lluc (Saint Luke artistic circle), a Catholic artistic
society founded in 1893 by the bishop Josep Torras i Bagesand the brothers Josep and Joan Llimona. He also
became a member of the Lliga Espiritual de la Mare de Du de Montserrat (spiritual league of Our lady of
Montserrat), another Catholic Catalan organisation.[28] This demonstrates the conservative and religious character of
his political thought, closely linked to the defence of the cultural identity of the Catalan people. Despite the apparent
contradiction between the Utopian ideals of his youth and his subsequent change of direction towards more
conservative views, this evolution can be considered natural, bearing in mind the profound spirituality of the
architect. In Csar Martinells words, Gaud substituted philanthropy with Christian charity.[29]
At the beginning of the century, Gaud was working on numerous projects which all reflected the change in his style,
which was becoming increasingly more personal and inspired by nature. In 1900, he received an award for the best
building of the year from the Barcelona City Council for his Casa Calvet. During the first decade of the century
Gaud dedicated himself to projects like the Casa Figueras (Figueras house), better known as Bellesguard, the Parc
Gell, an urbanisation project that had no success, and the restoration of the Cathedral of Palma de Mallorca, for
which he visited Majorca several times. Between 1904 and 1910 he constructed the Casa Batll (Batll house) and
the Casa Mil (Mil house), two of his most emblematic works.
As a result of Gaudis increasing fame, in 1902 the painter Joan Llimona
chose Gauds features to represent Saint Philip Neri in the paintings in the
aisle of the Sant Felip Neri church in Barcelona.[30] Together with Joan
Santal, son of his friend the physician Pere Santal, he founded a company
to make wought iron the same year, a project that failed in the end.[31]
After moving to Barcelona, Gaud frequently changed his address: as a
student he lived in residences, generally in the area of the Gothic Quarter;
when he started his career he moved around several rented flats in the
Eixample area. Finally, in 1906, he settled in a house in the Gell Park that he
owned and which had been constructed by his assistant Francesc Berenguer
as a showcase property for the estate. Nowadays it serves as the Gaud
Museum. There he lived with his father (who died in 1906 at the age of 93)
Saint Philip Neri celebrating the Holy
and his niece Rosa Egea Gaud (who died in 1912 at the age of 36). He lived
Mass) by Joan Llimona (church of Sant
in the house until 1925, a few months before his death, when he set off to
Felip Neri (Barcelona). Gaud was the
reside in the workshop of the Sagrada Famlia. One of the events that had a
model for Saint Philip Neris face.
profound impact on Gauds personality was the Tragic week in 1909; Gaud
remained in his house in the Gell Park during those days, but given the anticlerical atmosphere and the attacks on
churches and convents he was worried about the safety of the Sagrada Famlia, which fortunately was not
affected.[32]
Antoni Gaud
In 1910, an exhibition in the Grand Palais of Paris was devoted to his work,
during the annual saln of the Socit des Beaux-Arts (fine arts society) of
France. Gaud participated on the invitation of count Gell, displaying a
series of pictures, plans and plaster scale models of several of his works.
Although he participated hors concours, he received very good reviews from
the French press. A large part of this exposition could be seen the following
year at the I Saln Nacional de Arquitectura that took place in the municipal
exhibition hall of Buen Retiro in Madrid.[33]
During the Paris exposition in May 1910, Gaud spent a holiday in Vic, where
he designed two lampposts made of basalt and wrought iron for the Plaa
Major of Vic, for Jaume Balmess centenary. The following year he was
obliged to spend some time in Puigcerd due to tuberculosis; during this time
he conceived the idea for the faade of the Passion of the Sagrada Famlia.[34]
Due to his state of health, on 9 June he made his will at the office of the
notary Ramon Cant i Figueres;[35] but luckily he recovered completely.
The decade from 1910 was a hard one for Gaud as it was full of tragedy: the
deaths of his niece Rosa in 1912, and his main collaborator Francesc Berenguer in 1914; a severe economic crisis
paralysed work on the Sagrada Famlia in 1915; in 1916 his friend Josep Torras i Bages, bishop of Vic, died; in 1917
the works at the Colonia Gell were interrupted; in 1918 his friend and patron Eusebi Gell[36] died.Perhaps because
of all these tragedies he devoted himself entirely the Sagrada Famlia from 1915, taking refuge in his work. Gaud
confessed to his collaborators:
My good friends are dead; I have no family and no clients, no fortune nor anything. Now I can dedicate
myself entirely to the Church.[37]
Gaud dedicated the last years of his life entirely to the
Cathedral of the poor, as it was commonly known, for
which he even took alms in order to continue the
works. Apart from his dedication to this cause, he
participated in few other activities, the majority of
which were related to religion: in 1916 he participated
in a course about Gregorian chant at the Palau de la
Msica Catalana taught by the Benedictine monk
Gregori M. Sunyol.[39]
Gaud lived his life devoted entirely to his profession,
remaining single all his life. It seems that it was only on
Gaud shows the Sagrada Famlia to the Papal nuncio, Cardinal,
Francesco
Ragonesi (1915). On that occasion, Monsegnor Ragonesi
one occasion that he felt attracted to a woman, Josefa
[38]
considered Gaud The Dante of architecture.
Moreu, teacher at the Matar Cooperative, in 1884, but
this was not reciprocated.[40] From then on, Gaud took
refuge in his deep religiousness, which gave him profound spiritual peace. Gaud is often depicted as unsociable and
unpleasant, a man of gruff reactions and arrogant gestures. However, those who were close to him described him as
friendly and polite, pleasant to talk to and faithful to his friends. Among these, his patrons Eusebi Gell and the
bishop of Vic, Josep Torras i Bages, stand out, as well as the writers Joan Maragall and Jacint Verdaguer, the
physician Pere Santal and some of his most faithful collaborators, such as Francesc Berenguer and Lloren
Matamala.[41]
Antoni Gaud
7
Gauds personal appearanceNordic features, blond hair and blue
eyeschanged radically over the course of time: he was no longer a young
man with a dandy appearance (costly suits, well-groomed hair and beard,
gourmet taste, frequent visits to the theatre and the operahe even used to
visit his sites in his horse carriage). When older, he became a man of strict
simplicity, who ate with frugality, used old, worn-out suits, and neglected his
appearance to the extent that sometimes he was taken for a beggar, such as
after the accident that caused his death.[42]
Gaud left hardly any written documents, apart from technical reports of his
works required by official authorities, some letters sent to friends (above all
to Joan Maragall) and a few journal articles. Some of his quotes collected by
his assistants and disciples have been conserved, above all by Josep Francesc
Rfols, Joan Bergs, Csar Martinell and Isidre Puig i Boada. The only
written document Gaud left is known as the Manuscrito de Reus (Reus
Gaud at the Corpus Christi procession
Manuscript) (18731878), a kind of student diary in which he collected
(11 June 1924).
diverse impressions of architecture and decorating, putting forward his ideas
on the subject. His analysis of the Christian church and of his ancestral house stand out, as well as a text about
ornamentation and a reminder for the design of a desk.[43]
Gaud was always in favour of Catalonia; however, he
never wanted to get involved in politics. Some
politicians, such as Francesc Camb and Enric Prat de
la Riba suggested he run for deputy, but he refused.
Nonetheless, he had various arguments with the police.
In 1920 he was beaten by police officers in a tumult
during the Floral Games celebrations;[44] on 11
September 1924, National Day of Catalonia; during a
demonstration against the banning of the Catalan
language by the Primo de Rivera dictatorship. He was
also arrested by the Civil Guard, resulting in a short
stay in prison, from which he was freed after paying 50
pesetas bail.[45]
Death
Antoni Gaud
Subsequent reputation
After his death, Gaud suffered a period of neglect and his works were
unpopular amongst international critics, who regarded them as baroque and
excessively imaginative. In his homeland he was equally disdained by
Noucentisme, the new movement which took the place of Modernisme. In
1936, during the Spanish Civil War, Gaud's workshop in the Sagrada Famlia
was ransacked and a great number of his documents, plans and scale models
were destroyed. Gauds reputation was beginning to recover by the 1950s,
when his work was defended mainly by Salvador Dal but also by the
architect Josep Llus Sert. In 1956 a retrospective on Gaud was organised at
the Sal del Tinell in Barcelona, and in 1957 his first international exhibition
was held, at the MOMA in New York. Between 1950 and 1960, the studies of
international critics like George Collins, Nikolaus Pevsner and Roberto Pane
disseminated Gauds work widely, while in his homeland it was admired by
Alexandre Cirici, Juan Eduardo Cirlot and Oriol Bohigas. It is also worth
mentioning the high reputation of Gauds work in Japan, where his work is
very much admired, the studies by Kenji Imai and Tokutoshi Torii being
particularly notable. Ever since, the appreciation of Gauds work has grown,
culminating in 1984 when various works were declared UNESCO World
Heritage Sites.[49]
In 1952, the centenary year of the architects birth, the Asociacin de Amigos
de Gaud (Friends of Gaud Association) was founded with the aim of
disseminating and conserving the legacy of the Catalan artist. In 1956 the
Gaud Chair at the Polytechnic University of Catalonia was created with the
purpose of deepening the study of the Gaudis works and participating in their
conservation. In 1987, King Juan Carlos I awarded it the title Real Ctedra
Gaud. In 1976, on the 50th anniversary of his death, the Ministry of Foreign
Affairs organised an exhibition about Gaud that went around the world.[50]
Gaud bust, by Joan Matamala.
Antoni Gaud
Style
Gaud and Modernisme
The course of Gaud's professional life was unique in that he never
ceased to investigate mechanical structures of buildings. Early on,
Gaud was inspired by oriental arts (India, Persia, Japan) through
the study of the historicist architectural theoreticians, such as
Walter Pater, John Ruskin and William Morris. The influence of
the Oriental movement can be seen in works like the Capricho, the
Gell Palace, the Gell Pavilions and the Casa Vicens. Later on,
he adhered to the neo-Gothic movement that was in fashion at the
time, following the ideas of the French architect Viollet-le-Duc.
This influence is reflected in the Colegi de les Teresianes, the
bishop's palace in Astorga, the Casa Botines and the Bellesguard
house as well as in the crypt and the apse of the Sagrada Famlia.
Eventually, Gaud embarked on a more personal phase, with the
individualistic, organic style inspired by nature in which he would
build his major works.
During his time as a student, Gaud was able to study a collection
The four-armed cross, one the most typical features of
of photographs of Egyptian, Indian, Persian, Mayan, Chinese and
Gaud's works.
Japanese art owned by the School of Architecture. The collection
also included Moorish monuments in Spain, which left a deep
mark on him and served as an inspiration in many of his works. He also studied the book Plans, elevations, sections
and details of the Alhambra by Owen Jones, which he borrowed from the Schools library.[54] He took various
structural and ornamental solutions from nazar and mudjar art, which he used with variations and stylistic freedom
in his works. A noteworthy observation that Gaud made of Islamic art is the spatial uncertainty, the concept of
structures with limitless space; taking on a feeling of sequence, fragmented, with holes and partitions, which create a
divide without ruining the feeling of open space by closing it in with barriers.[55]
Without doubt the style that most influenced him was the Gothic Revival, which was promoted in the latter half of
the 19th century by the theoretical works of Viollet-le-Duc. The French architect called for studying the styles of the
past and adapting them in a rational manner, taking into account both the structure and design.[56] Nonetheless, for
Gaud the Gothic style was "imperfect", because despite the effectiveness of some of its structural solutions it was an
art that had yet to be "perfected. In his own words:
Gothic art is imperfect, only half resolved; it is a style created by the compasses, a formulaic industrial
repetition. Its stability depends on constant propping up by the buttresses: it is a defective body held up on
crutches. (...) The proof that Gothic works are of deficient plasticity is that they produce their greatest
emotional effect when they are mutilated, covered in ivy and lit by the moon.[57]
Antoni Gaud
10
Antoni Gaud
11
With the use of these elements, Gaud went from plane to spatial geometry, to ruled geometry. These constructional
forms are highly suited to the use of cheap materials such as brick. Gaud frequently used brick laid with mortar in
successive layers, as in the traditional Catalan vault.[64] This quest for new structural solutions culminated between
1910 and 1920, when he put all his research and experience into his masterpiece, the Sagrada Famlia. Gaud
conceived this church as if it were the structure of a forest, with a set of tree-like columns divided into various
branches to support a structure of intertwined hyperboloid vaults. He inclined the columns so they could put up
better with the perpendicular pressures on their section. He also gave them a double turn helicoid shape (right turn
and left turn), as in the branches and trunks of trees. This created a structure that is nowadays known as fractal.[65]
Together with a modulation of the space that divides it into small, independent and self-supporting modules, it
creates a structure that perfectly supports the mechanical traction forces without need for buttresses, as required by
the neo-Gothic style.[66] Gaud thus achieved a rational, structured and perfectly logical solution adapted to nature,
creating at the same time a new architectural style that was original, simple, practical and aesthetic. This new
constructional technique allowed Gaud to achieve his greatest architectural goal; to perfect and go beyond Gothic
style. The hyperboloid vaults have their centre where the Gothic had their keystone, and the hyperboloid allows for a
hole in this space to let natural light in. In the intersection between the vaults, where Gothic vaults have their ribs,
the hyperboloid allows for holes as well, which Gaud made use of to give the impression of a starry sky.[67]
Gaud complemented this organic vision of architecture with a unique spatial vision that allowed him to conceive his
designs tridimensionally, unlike the dimensionally flat design of traditional architecture. He used to say that he had
acquired this spatial sense as a boy by looking at the drawings his father made of the boilers and stills he
produced.[68] Because of this spatial conception, Gaud always preferred to work with casts and scale models or even
improvise on site as the works progressed. Reluctant to draw plans, only on rare occasions did he sketch his works,
in fact only when required by official authorities.
Antoni Gaud
12
Antoni Gaud
13
Antoni Gaud
Bishops Palace of Astorga. Many of his projects included gardens, like the Casa Vicens or the Gell Pavilions, or
were even gardens themselves, like the Gell Park or the Can Artigas Gardens. A perfect example of this integration
into nature was the First Mystery of the Glory of the Rosary at Montserrat,, where the architectural framework is
nature itselfhere the Montserrat rockthat encircles the group of sculptures that adorned the path to the Holy
Cave.
Equally, Gaud stood out as interior
decorator, taking care of the decoration of
most of his buildings personally, from the
design of the furnishings to the smallest
details. In each case he knew how to apply
stylistic particularities, personalising the
decoration according to the owners taste,
the predominant style of the arrangement or
its place in the surroundingswhether
urban or naturaland depending on its type,
secular or religious. Many of his works were
related to liturgical furnishing. From the
design of a desk for his office at the
beginning of his career to the furnishings
designed for the Sobrellano Palace of
Comillas, he designed all furnishing of the
Interior of the Casa Vicens.
Vicens, Calvet, Battl and Mil houses, of
the Gell Palace and the Bellesguard Tower, and finally also the liturgical furnishing of the Sagrada Famlia. It is
noteworthy that Gaud studied some ergonomy in order to adapt his furnishings to the human anatomy in an optimal
way. Many of the furnishings he designed are currently exhibited at the Gaud Museum in the Gell Park.[75]
Another aspect to mention is the intelligent distribution of space, always with the aim of creating a comfortable,
intimate atmosphere in the interior of all his buildings. For this purpose, Gaud would divide the space into different
sections, adapted to their specific use, by means of low walls, dropped ceilings, sliding doors and wall closets. Apart
from taking care of every single detail of all structural and ornamental elements, he would make sure his
constructions had good lighting and ventilation. For this purpose, he would study the orientation of the building in
detail with respect to the cardinal points, as well as the climate of the region and its place in the surrounding natural
setting. At that time, there was an increasing demand for more domestic comfort, with piped water and gas and the
use of electric light, all of which Gaud expertly incorporated into his constructions. For the Sagrada Famlia, for
example, he carried out thorough studies on acoustics and illumination, in order to optimise them. He used to say the
following with regard to light: Light achieves maximum harmony at an inclination of 45, since it resides on objects
in a way that is neither horizontal nor vertical. This can be considered medium light, and it offers the most perfect
vision of objects and their most exquisite nuances. It is the Mediterranean light.
Lighting also served Gaud for the organisation of space, which required a careful study of the gradient of light
intensity to adequately adapt to each specific environment. He achieved this with different elements such as
skylights, windows, shutters and blinds; a notable case is the gradation of colour used in the atrium of the Casa
Batll to achieve uniform distribution of light throughout the interior. He also tended to build south-facing houses to
maximise sunlight.[76]
14
Antoni Gaud
15
Works
Gauds work is difficult to classify. It is normally classed as
modernista, and it undoubtedly belongs to this movement on
account of its eagerness to renovatethough without breaking
with tradition; its quest for modernity; the ornamental sense
applied to works; and the multidisciplinary character of its
undertakings, where craftsmanship plays a central role. To this,
Gaud adds a dose of the baroque, adopts technical advances and
continues to use traditional architectural language. Together with
his inspiration from nature and the original touch of his works, this
is the amalgam that gives his works their personal and unique
character in the history of architecture. Chronologically, it is
difficult to establish guidelines that illustrate the evolution of
Gauds style faithfully. Although he moved on from his initially
historicist approach to immerse himself completely in the
modernista movement which arose so vigorously in the last third
of the 19th century in Catalonia, before finally attaining his
personal, organic style, this process did not consist of
Scale model of the Sagrada Famlia, Gauds
clearly-defined stages with boundaries between one stage and
masterpiece.
another: rather, at every stage there are reflections of all the earlier
ones, as he gradually assimilated them and surpassed them. One of
the best descriptions of Gauds work was made by his disciple and biographer Joan Bergs, according to plastic and
structural criteria. Bergs establishes five periods in Gaudis productions: preliminary period, mudjar-morisco
(Moorish/mudjar art), emulated Gothic, naturalist and expressionist, and organic synthesis.[77]
Early works
Gauds first works both from his student days and the time just after his graduation stand out for the great precision
of their details, the use of superior geometry and the prevalence of mechanical considerations in the calculations of
the structures.[78]
During his studies, Gaud designed various projects, among which the following stand out: a cemetery gate (1875), a
Spanish pavilion for the Philadelphia World Fair of 1876, a quay-side building (1876), a courtyard for the Diputaci
de Barcelona (1876), a monumental fountain for the Plaa Catalunya in Barcelona (1877) and a university assembly
hall (1877).[79]
Student works
Antoni Gaud started his professional career while still pursuing his university studies. To pay for his studies, he
worked as a draughtsman for some of the most outstanding architects in Barcelona at the time, such as Joan
Martorell, Josep Fontser, Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano, Leandre Serrallach and Emili Sala Corts.[24]
Gaud had a long-standing relationship with Josep Fontser, since his family was also from Riudoms and they had
Antoni Gaud
16
known each other for some time. Despite not having a degree in architecture, Fontser received the commission from
the city council of Barcelona for the Parc de la Ciutadella development, carried out between 1873 and 1882. In this
project, Gaud was in charge of the design of the entrance gate of the park, the balustrade of the band-stand and the
water project for the monumental fountain, where he designed an artificial cave that already shows his liking for
nature and the organic touch he would give his architecture.[80]
Gaud worked for Francisco de Paula del Villar on the apse of the Montserrat monastery, designing the niche for the
image of the Black Virgin of Montserrat in 1876. Later on, he would substitute Villar in the works of the Sagrada
Famlia. With Leandre Serrallach, he worked on a project for a tram line to Villa Arcadia in Montjuc. Eventually, he
collaborated with Joan Martorell working on the Jesuit church on Carrer Casp and the Salesian convent in Passeig de
Sant Joan, as well as the Villaricos church (Almera). He also carried out a project for Martorell for the competition
for a new faade for Barcelona cathedral, which was eventually not approved. His relationship with Martorell, whom
he always considered one of his main and most influential masters, brought him unexpected luck; it was Martorell
that recommended Gaud for the Sagrada Famlia.
After his graduation as an architect in 1878, Gaud's first works
were a set of lampposts for the Plaa Reial, the project for the
Girossi newsstands and the Matar cooperative, which was his
first important work. He received the request for the set of
lampposts from the city council of Barcelona in February 1878,
when he had graduated but not yet received his degree, which was
sent from Madrid on 15 March of the same year.[81] For this
commission he designed two different types of lampposts: one
with six arms, of which two were installed in the Plaa Reial, and
another with three, of which two were installed in the Pla del
Palau, opposite the Civil Government. The lampposts were
inaugurated during the Merc festivities in 1879. Made of cast iron
with a marble base, they have a decoration in which the caduceus
of Mercury is prominent, symbol of commerce and emblem of
Barcelona.
Antoni Gaud
17
Antoni Gaud
18
Gibert Pharmacy.
Also in 1878 he drew up the plans for a theatre in the former town
of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles (now a district of Barcelona); Gaud did not take part in the subsequent construction of
the theatre, which no longer exists. The following year he designed the furniture and counter for the Gibert
Pharmacy, with marquetry of Arab influence. The same year he made five drawings for a procession in honour of the
poet Francesc Vicent Garcia i Torres in Vallfogona de Riucorb, where which this celebrated 17th-century writer and
friend of Lope de Vega was the parish priest . Gauds project was centred on the poet and on several aspects of
agricultural work, such as reaping and harvesting grapes and olives; however, as a result of organisational problems
Gauds ideas were not carried out.[85]
Between 1879 and 1881 he drew up a project for the decoration of the church of Sant Paci, belonging to the Colegio
de Jess-Mara in Sant Andreu del Palomar: he created the altar in a Gothic style, the monstrance with Byzantine
influence, the mosaics and the lighting, as well as the schools furniture. The church caught fire during the Tragic
Week of 1909, and now only the mosaics remain, of opus tesselatum, probably the work of the Italian mosaicist
Luigi Pellerin.[86] He was given the task of decorating the church of the Colegio de Jess-Mara in Tarragona
(18801882): he created the altar in white Italian marble, and its front part, or antependium, with four columns
bearing medallions of polychrome alabaster, with figures of angels; the ostensory with gilt wood, the work of Eudald
Punt, decorated with rosaries, angels, tetramorph symbols and the dove of the Holy Ghost; and the choir stalls,
which were destroyed in 1936.[87]
In 1880 he designed an electric lighting project for Barcelonas Muralla de Mar, or sea wall, which finally was not
carried out. It consisted of eight large iron street lamps, profusely decorated with plant motifs, friezes, shields and
names of battles and Catalan admirals. The same year he participated in the competition for the construction of the
San Sebastin social centre (now town hall), won by Luis Aladrn Mendivi and Adolfo Morales de los Ros; Gaud
submitted a project that was a synthesis of several of his earlier studies, such as the fountain for the Plaa Catalunya
and the courtyard of the Provincial Council.[88]
Antoni Gaud
19
A new task of the Gell-Lpezs for Comillas was the gazebo for Alfonso
XIIs visit to the Cantabrian town in 1881. Gaud designed a small pavilion in
the shape of a Hindu turban, covered in mosaics and decorated with an
abundance of small bells which jingled constantly. It was subsequently
moved into the Gell Pavilions.[89]
In 1882 he designed a Benedictine monastery and a church dedicated to the
Holy Spirit in Villaricos (Cuevas de Vera, Almeria) for his former teacher,
Joan Martorell. It was of neo-Gothic design, similar to the Convent of the
Salesians that Gaud also planned with Martorell. Ultimately it was not
carried out, and the project plans were destroyed in the looting of the Sagrada
Famlia in 1936.[90] The same year he was tasked with constructing a hunting
lodge and wine cellars at a country residence known as La Cuadra, in Garraf
(Sitges), property of baron Eusebi Gell. Ultimately the lodge was not built,
only the wine cellars some years later. With Martorell he also collaborated in
three other projects: the church of the Jesuit School in Carrer Caspe; the
Convent of the Salesians in Passeig de Sant Joan, a neo-Gothic project with
an altar in the centre of the crossing; and the faade project for Barcelona
cathedral, for the competition convened by the cathedral chapter in 1882,
ultimately won by Josep Oriol Mestres and August Font i Carreras.[91]
Orientalist period
During these years Gaud completed a series of works
with a distinctly oriental flavour, inspired by the art of
the Middle and Far East (India, Persia, Japan), as well
as Islamic-Hispanic art, mainly Mudejar and Nazari.
Gaud used ceramic tile decoration abundantly, as well
as Moorish arches, columns of exposed brick and
pinnacles in the shape of pavilions or domes.[94]
Between 1883 and 1888 he constructed the Casa
Vicens, commissioned by stockbroker Manuel Vicens i
Montaner. It was constructed with four floors, with
faades on three sides and an extensive garden, with a
monumental brick fountain. The house was surrounded
by a wall with iron gates, decorated with palmetto
Casa Vicens.
Antoni Gaud
leaves, work of Lloren Matamala. The walls of the house are of stone alternated with lines of tile, which imitate
yellow flowers typical of this area; the house is topped with chimneys and turrets. In the interior the polychrome
wooden roof beams stand out, adorned with floral themes of papier mach; the walls are decorated with vegetable
motifs, as well as paintings by Josep Torrescasana; finally, the floor consists of Roman-style mosaics of "opus
tesselatum". One of the most original rooms is the smoking room, notable the ceiling, decorated with Moorish
honeycomb-work, reminiscent of the Generalife in the Alhambra in Granada.[95]
In the same year, 1883, Gaud designed the Santsimo Sacramento
chapel for the parish church of San Flix de Alella, as well as
some topographical plans for the Can Rosell de la Llena country
residence in Gelida. He also received a commission to build a
small annex to the Palacio de Sobrellano, for the Baron of
Comillas, in the Cantabrian town of the same name. Known as El
Capricho, it was commissioned by Mximo Daz de Quijano and
constructed between 1883 and 1885. Cristfor Cascante i Colom,
Gauds fellow student, directed the construction. In an oriental
style, it has an elongated shape, on three levels and a cylindrical
El Capricho, in Comillas.
tower in the shape of a Persian minaret, faced completely in
ceramics. The entrance is set behind four columns supporting
depressed arches, with capitals decorated with birds and leaves, similar to those that can be seen at the Casa Vicens.
Notable are the main lounge, with its large sash window, and the smoking room with a ceiling consisting of a false
Arab-style stucco vault.[96]
Gaud carried out a second commission from Eusebi
Gell between 1884 and 1887, the Gell Pavilions in
Pedralbes, now on the outskirts of Barcelona. Gell had
a country residence in Les Corts de Sarri, consisting of
two adjacent properties known as Can Feliu and Can
Cuys de la Riera. The architect Joan Martorell had
built a Caribbean-style mansion, which was demolished
in 1919 to make way for the Royal Palace of Pedralbes.
Gaud undertook the task of refurbishing the house and
constructing a wall and porter's lodge. He completed
the stone wall with several entrances, the main entrance
with an iron gate in the shape of a dragon, with a
Gell Pavilions.
symbology allusive to the myths of Hercules and the
[97]
Garden of the Hesperides.
The buildings consist of a
stable, covered longeing ring and porter's lodge: the stable has a rectangular base and catenary arches; the longeing
ring has a square base with a hyperboloid dome; the porter's lodge consists of three small buildings, the central one
being polygonal with a hyperbolic dome, and the other two smaller and cubic. All three are topped by ventilators in
the shape of chimneys faced with ceramics. The walls are of exposed brick in various shades of reds and yellows; in
certain sections prefabricated cement blocks are also used. The Pavilions are now the headquarters of the Real
Ctedra Gaud, of the Polytechnic University of Catalonia.
In 1885 Gaud accepted a commission from Josep Maria Bocabella, promotor of the Sagrada Famlia, for an altar in
the oratory of the Bocabella family, who had obtained permission from the Pope to have an altar in their home. The
altar is made of varnished mahogany, with a slab of white marble in the centre for relics. It is decorated with plants
and religious motifs, such as the Greek letters alpha and omega, symbol of the beginning and end, gospel phrases
and images of Saint Francis of Paola, Saint Teresa of Avila and the Holy Family and closed with a curtain of
20
Antoni Gaud
21
crimson embroidery. It was made by the cabinet maker Frederic Labria, who also collaborated with Gaud on the
Sagrada Famlia.[98]
Shortly after, Gaud received an important new
commission from Gell: the construction of his family
house, in the Carrer Nou de la Rambla in Barcelona.
The Palau Gell (18861888) continues the tradition of
large Catalan urban mansions such as those in Carrer
Montcada. Gaud designed a monumental entrance with
a magnificent parabolic-arched entrance and iron gates,
decorated with the Catalan coat of arms and a helmet
with a winged dragon, the work of Joan Os. A
notable feature is the triple-height entrance hall; it is
the core of the building, surrounded by the main rooms
Palau Gell, detail of the entrance.
of the palace, and it is remarkable for its double dome,
parabolic within and conical on the outside, a solution
typical of Byzantine art. For the gallery on the street facade Gaud used an original system of catenary arches and
columns with hyperbolic capitals, a style he used neither before nor afterwards.[99] He designed the interior of the
palace with great care, with a sumptuous Mudejar-style decoration, where the wood and iron coffered ceilings stand
out. The chimneys on the roof are a highly remarkable feature, faced in vividly-coloured ceramic tiles, as is the tall
spire in the form of a lantern tower, which is the external termination of the dome within, and is also faced with
ceramic tiles and topped with an iron weather vane.[100]
On the occasion of the World Expo held in Barcelona
in 1888, Gaud constructed the pavilion for the
Compaa Trasatlntica, property of the Marquis of
Comillas, in the Maritime Section of the event. He
created it in a Granadinian Nazari style, with horseshoe
arches and stucco decoration; the building survived
until the Passeig Martim was opened up in 1960. In the
wake of the event he received a commission from
Barcelona Council to restore the Sal de Cent and the
grand stairs in Barcelona City Hall, as well as a chair
for the queen Maria Cristina; only the chair was made,
and Mayor Francesc Rius i Taulet presented it to the
Queen.[101]
Antoni Gaud
22
Neo-Gothic period
During this period Gaud was inspired above all by
medieval Gothic art, but wanted to improve on its
structural solutions. Neo-gothic was one of the most
successful historicist styles at that time, above all as a
result of the theoretical studies of Viollet-le-Duc. Gaud
studied examples in Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and
Roussillon in depth, as well as Leonese and Castillian
buildings during his stays in Len and Burgos, and
became convinced that it was an imperfect style,
leaving major structural issues only partly resolved. In
his works he eliminated the need of buttresses through
the use of ruled surfaces, and abolishing crenelations
and excessive openwork.[102]
The first example was the Colegio de las Teresianas (18881889), in Barcelonas Carrer Ganduxer, commissioned
by San Enrique de Oss. Gaud fulfilled the wish of the order that the building should be austere, in keeping with
their vows of poverty. He designed a simple building, using bricks for the exterior and some brick elements for the
interior. Wrought ironwork, one of Gaud's favourite materials,is also used on the facades, the building is crowned by
a row of merlons which suggest a castle, a possible reference to Saint Teresas Interior Castle.[103] On the corners are
brick pinnacles topped by helicoidal columns and culminating in a four-armed cross, typical of Gauds works, and
with ceramic shields bearing various symbols of the order. In the interior there is a corridor which is famous for the
series of catenary arches that it contains. These elegant arches are not merely decorative, but are there to support the
ceiling and the floor above. For Gaud, the parabolic arch was an ideal constructional element, capable of supporting
great loads with slender masonry .[104]
Gaud received his next commission from a clergyman
who had been a boyhood friend in his native Reus.
When he was appointed bishop of Astorga, Joan
Baptista Grau i Vallespins asked Gaud to design a
new episcopal palace for the city, as the previous
building had caught fire. Constructed between 1889
and 1915, in a neo-Gothic style with four cylindrical
towers, it was surrounded by a moat. The stone with
which it was built (grey granite from the El Bierzo
area) is in harmony with its surroundings, particularly
with the cathedral in its immediate vicinity, as well as
with the natural landscape, which in late 19th-century
Astorga was more visible than it is today. The porch
has three large flared arches, built of ashlar and
Bishop's palace of Astorga.
separated by sloping buttresses. The structure of the
building is supported by columns with decorated
capitals and by ribbed vaults on pointed arches, and topped with Mudejar-style merlons. Gaud resigned from the
project in 1893, at the death of Bishop Grau, due to disagreements with the Chapter, and it was finished in 1915 by
Ricardo Garca Guereta. It currently houses a museum about the Way of Saint James, which passes through Astorga
[105]
Antoni Gaud
23
Bodegas Gell.
In the township of Sant Gervasi de Cassoles (now a district of Barcelona), Gaud was given a commission by the
widow
of
Antoni Gaud
24
Torre Bellesguard.
Naturalist period
During this period Gaud perfected his personal style, inspired by
the organic shapes of nature, putting into practice a whole series of
new structural solutions originating from his deep analysis of ruled
geometry. To this he added a great creative freedom and an
imaginative ornamental style. His works acquired a great richness
of structure, with shapes and volumes devoid of rational rigidity or
any classic premise.[111]
Commissioned by the company Hijos de Pedro Mrtir Calvet,
Gaud built the Casa Calvet (18981899), in Barcelonas Carrer
Casp. The faade is built of Montjuc stone, adorned with wrought
iron balconies and topped with two pediments with wrought iron
crosses. Another notable feature of the facade is the gallery on the
main floor, decorated with plant and mythological motifs. For this
project Gaud used a Baroque style, visible in the use of
Solomonic columns, decoration with floral themes and the design
of the terraced roof . In 1900 he won the award for the best
building of the year from Barcelona City Council.[112]
Casa Calvet.
Antoni Gaud
25
Antoni Gaud
26
During this period Gaud contributed to a group
project, the Rosary of Montserrat (19001916).
Located on the way to the Holy Cave of Montserrat, it
was a series of groups of sculptures that evoked the
mysteries of the Virgin, who tells the rosary. This
project involved the best architects and sculptors of the
era, and is a curious example of Catalan Modernism.
Gaud designed the First Mystery of Glory, which
represents the Holy Sepulcher, with a statue of Christ
Risen, the work of Josep Llimona, and the Three Marys
sculpted by Dions Renart. Another monumental
project designed by Gaud for Montserrat was never
carried out: it would have included crowning the
summit of El Cavall Bernat (one of the mountain
peaks) with a viewpoint in the shape of a royal crown,
Antoni Gaud
27
One of Gauds largest and most striking works is the Casa Batll
(19041906). Commissioned by Josep Batll i Casanovas to
renovate an existing building erected in 1875 by Emili Sala
Corts,[121] Gaud focused on the faade, the main floor, the patio
and the roof, and built a fifth floor for the staff. For this project he
was assisted by his aides Domnec Sugraes, Joan Rubi and
Josep Canaleta. The faade is of Montjuc sandstone cut to create
warped ruled surfaces; the columns are bone shaped with
vegetable decoration. Gaud kept the rectangular shape of the old
buildings balconieswith iron railings in the shape of
masksgiving the rest of the faade an ascending undulating
form. He also faced the facade with ceramic fragments of various
colours ("trencads"), which Gaud obtained from the waste
material of the Pelegr glass works. The interior courtyard is
roofed by a skylight supported by an iron structure in the shape of
a double T, which rests on a series of catenary aches. The
helicoidal chimneys are a notable feature of the roof, topped with
Casa Batll.
conical caps, covered in clear glass in the centre and ceramics at
the top, and surmounted by clear glass balls filled with sand of
different colours. The faade culminates in catenary vaults covered with two layers of brick and faced with glazed
ceramic tiles in the form of scales (in shades of yellow, green and blue), which resemble a dragons back; on the left
side is a cylindrical turret with anagrams of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, and with Gaudis four-armed cross.[122]
In 1904, commissioned by the painter Llus Graner i Arruf, he designed the decoration of the Sala Merc, in the
Rambla dels Estudis, one of the first cinemas in Barcelona; the theatre imitated a cave, inspired by the Coves del del
Drac (Dragon's Caves) in Mallorca. Also for Graner he designed a detached house in the Bonanova district of
Barcelona, of which only the foundations and the main gate were built, with three openings: for people, vehicles and
birds; the building wold have had a structure similar to the Casa Batll or the porter's lodge of the Parc Gell.[123]
Antoni Gaud
28
Gardens between 1905 and 1907, in an area called Font de la Magnesia, commissioned by the textile merchant Joan
Artigas i Alart; men who had worked the Parc Gell were also involved on this project, similar to the famous park in
Barcelona.[125]
In 1906 he designed a bridge over the Torrent de
Pomeret, between Sarri and Sant Gervasi. This river
flowed directly between two of Gauds works,
Bellesguard and the Chalet Graner, and so he was
asked to bridge the divide. Gaud designed an
interesting structure composed of juxtapositioned
triangles that would support the bridges framework,
following the style of the viaducts that he made for the
Parc Gell. It would have been built with cement, and
would have had a length of 154m and a height of 15m;
the balustrade would have been covered with glazed
tiles, with an inscription dedicated to Santa Eullia. The
project was not approved by the Town Council of
Sarri.[126]
The same year Gaud apparently took part in the construction of the Torre Dami Mateu, in Llinars del Valls, in
collaboration with his disciple Francesc Berenguer, though the projects authorship is not clear or to what extent they
each contributed to it. The style of the building evokes Gauds early work, such as the Casa Vicens or the Gell
Pavilions; it had an entrance gate in the shape of a fishing net, currently installed in the Parc Gell. The building was
demolished in 1939.[127] Also in 1906 he designed a new banner, this time for the Guild of Metalworkers and
Blacksmiths for the Corpus Christi procession of 1910, in Barcelona Cathedral. It was dark green in colour, with
Barcelonas coat of arms in the upper left corner, and an image of Saint Eligius, patron of the guild, with typical tools
of the trade. The banner was burned in July 1936.[128]
Another of Gauds major projects and one
of his most admired works is the Casa Mil,
better known as La Pedrera (19061910),
commissioned by Pere Mil i Camps. Gaud
designed the house around two large curved
courtyards, with a structure of stone, brick
and cast-iron columns steel beams. The
whole faade is built of limestone from
Vilafranca del Peneds, apart from the upper
level, which is covered in white tiles,
evoking a snowy mountain. It has a total of
five floors, plus a loftmade entirely of
catenary archesand the roof, as well as
Casa Mil.
two large interior courtyards, one circular
and one oval. Notable features are the
staircases to the roof, topped with the four-armed cross, and the chimneys, covered in ceramics and with shapes that
suggest mediaeval helmets. The interior decoration was carried out by Josep Maria Jujol and the painters Iu Pascual,
Xavier Nogus and Aleix Claps. The faade was to have been completed with a stone, metal and glass sculpture
with Our lady of the Rosary accompanied by the archangels Michael and Gabriel, 4m in height. A sketch was made
by the sculptor Carles Mani, but due to the events of the Tragic Week in 1909 the project was abandoned.[129]
Antoni Gaud
29
In 1907, to mark the seventh centenary of the birth of king James I, Gaud
designed a monument in his memory. It would have been situated in the Plaa
del Rei, and would have also meant the renovation of the adjacent buildings:
new roof for the cathedral, as well as the completion of its towers and cupola;
placement of three vases above the buttresses of the Chapel of Santa gada,
dedicated to the Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary, as well as the figure of an
angel on top of the chapel's tower; finally, the opening of a large square next
to the walls (now the Plaa Ramon Berenguer el Grand). The project was not
executed because the city council disliked it.[130]
In 1908 Gaud devised a project for a skyscraper hotel in New York, the
Hotel Atraction, commissioned by two American entrepreneurs whose names
are unknown. It would have been 360m high (taller than the Empire State
Building), with a taller parabolic central section, topped with a star, and
flanked by four volumes containing museums, art galleries and concert halls,
with shapes similar to the Casa Mil. Inside it would have had five large
rooms, one dedicated to every continent.[131] [132]
The last project for his great patron Eusebi Gell was the church for the
Colnia Gell, an industrial village in Santa Coloma de Cervell, of which
only the crypt was constructed (known today as Crypt of the Colnia Gell)
(19081918). The project began in 1890, and the factory, service buildings
and housing for the workers were constructed. What would have been the
colonys church was designed by Gaud in 1898, though the first stone was
not laid until 4 October 1908. Unfortunately only the crypt was built, as
Gells sons abandoned the project after his death in 1918. Gaud designed an
oval church with five aisles, one central aisle and two at either side. He
conceived it as fully integrated into nature, reflecting his concept of
architecture as organic structure. A porch of hyperbolic paraboloid vaults
precedes the crypt, the first time that Gaud used this structure and the first
use of paraboloid vaults in the history of architecture.[133] In the crypt the
large hyperboloid stained glass windows stand out, with the shapes of flower
petals and butterfly wings. Inside, circular brick pillars alternate with slanted
basalt columns from Castellfollit de la Roca.
Antoni Gaud
30
Antoni Gaud
31
Antoni Gaud
32
Major works
Work
Dates
Location
18831885 Comillas
Casa Vicens
18831888 Barcelona
Sagrada Famlia
18831926 Barcelona
Gell Pavilions
18841887 Barcelona
Palau Gell
18861890 Barcelona
18881889 Barcelona
18891915 Astorga
Casa Botines
18911894 Len
Bodegas Gell
18951897 Sitges
Casa Calvet
18981900 Barcelona
Bellesguard
19001909 Barcelona
Parc Gell
19001914 Barcelona
Casa Batll
19041906 Barcelona
Artigas Gardens
Casa Mil
19061910 Barcelona
World Heritage
Several of Gaudis works have been granted World Heritage status by UNESCO: in 1984[144] the Parc Gell, the
Palau Gell and the Casa Mil; and in 2005[145] the Nativity faade, the crypt and the apse of the Sagrada Famlia,
the Casa Vicens and the Casa Batll in Barcelona, together with the crypt of the Colnia Gell in Santa Coloma de
Cervell.
The declaration of Gauds works as World Heritage aims to recognise his outstanding universal value. According to
the citation:[146]
The work of Antoni Gaud represents an exceptional and outstanding creative contribution to the development of
architecture and building technology in the late 19th and early 20th centuries.
Gauds work exhibits an important interchange of values closely associated with the cultural and artistic currents
of his time, as represented in el Modernisme [sic] of Catalonia. It anticipated and influenced many of the forms
and techniques that were relevant to the development of modern construction in the 20th century.
Antoni Gaud
Gauds work represents a series of outstanding examples of the building typology in the architecture of the early
20th century, residential as well as public, to the development of which he made a significant and creative
contribution.
References
Footnotes
[1] See, in Catalan, Juan Bergs Mass, Gaud, l'home i la obra ("Gaud: The Man and his Work"), Universitat Politcnica de Barcelona (Ctedra
Gaud), 1974 ISBN 84-600-6248-1, section "Naixament" (Birth), pp. 1718.
[2] "Biography at Gaud and Barcelona Club, page 1" (http:/ / www. gaudiclub. com/ ingles/ i_vida/ i_vida. asp). . Retrieved 2005-11-05.
[3] There is a certain controversy about whether he was born in Reus or Riudoms, a place near Reus where his paternal family was from.
However, most specialists tend towards Reus: Gaud was born in Carrer Sant Joan, close to the Plaa Prim in Reus, according to most
versions () Nonetheless, Gaud later on mischievously left these doors open when suggesting he might have been born in his fathers
workshop, just across the municipal border of Riudoms. Gijs Van Hensbergen, Antoni Gaud, p. 33-35.
[4] Eduardo Daniel Quiroga y Eduardo Alberto Salomn. "Gaud: Mecnica y forma de la naturaleza" (http:/ / www. arquitectuba. com. ar/
monografias-de-arquitectura/ gaudi-mecanica-y-forma-de-la-naturaleza/ ). . Retrieved 29-08-2008.
[5] I. lvarez Torres. "La Sagrada Familia de Barcelona ultima los preparativos para su apertura al culto" (http:/ / www. lavozdigital. es/ cadiz/
prensa/ 20070102/ cultura/ sagrada-familia-barcelona-ultima_20070102. html). . Retrieved 03-08-2008.
[6] Tremlett, Giles (11 July 2003). "God's architect on road to sainthood" (http:/ / www. guardian. co. uk/ world/ 2003/ jul/ 11/ arts. spain).
guardian.co.uk. . Retrieved 21 April 2011.
[7] ""God's architect" on the path to sainthood" (http:/ / www. timesonline. co. uk/ tol/ comment/ faith/ article6909659. ece). timesonline.co.uk. 9
November 2009. . Retrieved 20 April 2011.
[8] Klettner, Andrea (4 November 2010). "Pope's visit could fast-track Gaudi sainthood" (http:/ / www. bdonline. co. uk/ news/
popes-visit-could-fast-track-gaudi-sainthood/ 5008461. article). bdonline.co.uk. . Retrieved 21 April 2011.
[9] Joan Castellar-Gassol, Gaud, la vida d'un visionari, p. 13.
[10] Until 1915, Gaud indicated in all his identity documents Reus as his birthplace, but from then on he declared himself Riudoms-born. The
reason for this could be that he was upset about his restoration project for the Misericordia sanctuary of Reus being rejected. Joan Bassegoda,
El gran Gaud, p. 552.
[11] Ana M Frrin, Gaud, de piedra y fuego, p. 61.
[12] Joan Bassegoda, El gran Gaud, p. 26.
[13] Joan Bergs, Gaud, l'home i l'obra, p. 31.
[14] Gijs Van Hensbergen, Antoni Gaud, p. 36.
[15] Frommer's Barcelona, 2nd Edition. Peter Stone (2007). ISBN 978-0-470-09692-5
[16] History of Vegetarianism - Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) (http:/ / www. ivu. org/ history/ europe20a/ gaudi. html)
[17] Gijs Van Hensbergen, Antoni Gaud, p. 162.
[18] Joan Castellar-Gassol, Gaud, la vida d'un visionari, p. 95.
[19] Josep M. Tarragona. "El Arlequn" (http:/ / www. antonigaudi. org/ antonigaudi. php?idioma=Esp& menu=200& mostrar=200& opcion=1).
. Retrieved 03-08-2008.
[20] Joan Bassegoda, Gaud o espacio, luz y equilibrio, p. 35.
[21] Joan Bassegoda, El gran Gaud, p. 24-25.
[22] Joan Bassegoda, Gaud o espacio, luz y equilibrio, p. 14-15.
[23] Judith Rodrguez Vargas. "Antoni Gaud, la visin de un genio" (http:/ / www. arts-history. mx/ semanario/ especial.
php?id_nota=22062007173805). . Retrieved 03-08-2008.
[24] Joan Bassegoda, Gaud o espacio, luz y equilibrio, p. 36.
[25] Josep M. Tarragona, Gaud, biografia de lartista, p. 11.
[26] Josep M. Tarragona, Gaud, biografia de lartista, p. 22.
[27] M Antonietta Crippa, Gaud, p. 92.
[28] Santi Barjau. "El complejo mundo de un creador obstinado" (http:/ / www. bcn. es/ publicacions/ b_mm/ ebmm58/ bmm58_qc28. htm). .
Retrieved 03-08-2008.
[29] Csar Martinell, Gaud. Su vida, su teora, su obra, p. 48.
[30] Josep M. Tarragona, Gaud, biografia de lartista, p. 235.
[31] Josep M. Tarragona, Gaud, biografia de lartista, p. 236.
[32] Gijs Van Hensbergen, Antoni Gaud, p. 250.
[33] Joan Bassegoda, El gran Gaud, p. 551.
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Antoni Gaud
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Antoni Gaud
Bibliography
Csar Martinell - Antoni Gaud, Barcelona, 1975 (English edition).
Frederike Mller, Lars Wendt: The Architect Antoni Gaud. Myth and Reality, DVD 70 mins., wendtfilm & Cin
Canard, Germany 2006
Rainer Zerbst - Antoni Gaud, Taschen, 2002.
External links
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License
Creative Commons Attribution-Share Alike 3.0 Unported
http:/ / creativecommons. org/ licenses/ by-sa/ 3. 0/
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