Antonio+Gaudi

[|Antonio Gaudí i Cornet], one of Cataluña's most famous architects, was born on June 25, 1852 in the province of Tarragona, possibly in Reus- there is no record of the actual city in which he was born. He was the youngest of five children, and his ancestors originated in southern France. For the vast majority of his life, Gaudí worked, studied, and lived in Barcelona. He was very nationalistic and showed his love for his country through his art. Gaudí's formal education started at la Escuela de Ciencias in Barcelona (1869). After graduating, he studied at la Escuela Superior de Arquitectura, also located in Barcelona. During the World Fair in 1883, Gaudí showed several of his artworks, attracting attention that gradually turned into various commissions. Gaudí was a member of the Catalán Asociacion de Excursiones Cientificas, which often went on trips around Cataluña. It was during these trips that Gaudí increased his knowledge of Cataluñan culture. Some of Gaudí's most important artowrks include el Parc Güell, el Capricho, la Casa Milà, la Casa Batlló, and the crown jewel of them all, la Sagrada Familia. He is most well known for the latter three buildings. Many of his artworks are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Gaudí died of his injuries from a car accident on June 10, 1926.

Gaudí was influenced by many [|movements and styles]. For example, la Sagrada Familia is influenced by the grand cathedrals of Gothic Europe- it has many tall, thin towers that are reminiscent of pinnacles and three portals. Later, Art Nouveau of the twentieth century influenced his style, because he used many natural forms and curves in his works. This style is especially evident in his two houses, la Casa Milà and la Casa Batlló, because there are no straight lines on the buildings. Furthermore, the writings of John Ruskin- who firmly believed in ornamental art with lots of decoration- inspired him to include elaborate details and undulating and twisted forms in his artworks, such as the façades and roofs of his two houses. Several themes that recur throughout Gaudí's art include the crest of Cataluña and statues of San Jorge, the patron saint of Cataluña.

[|La Sagrada Familia]is Gaudí's most famous artwork, having been his focus for more than half his life. Construction on this cathedral-sized Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona began in 1882, with Gaudí assuming complete responsibility for the project in 1883, but it has yet to be completed. It has been estimated that construction will end in 2026, marking the 100th anniversary of his death. Gaudí worked on la Sagrada Familia until the day of his death, leaving it only 25% completed. Work on Gaudí's church has progressed slowly and was interrupted by the Spanish Civil War (1936-1939), with construction resuming in 1950. This building is influenced by Gothic styles from Europe, which can be seen through the 3 portals, 3 main façades, and 18 tall, thin, pinnacle-like spires. The façades are named the Nativity, Passion, and Glory (yet to be completed) fa ç ades. The 18 spires symbolize the 12 Apostles, the 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, and Jesus Christ, with the latter being the tallest and grandest. The twisted appearance of the church, especially the ceiling of the nave with its natural forms and curvy shapes, shows the influence of Art Nouveau. La Sagrada Familia was designated as a World Heritage Site in 1984, and Pope Benedict XVI named it a minor basilica in 2010.

Josep Batlló commissioned Gaudí to renovate [|la Casa Batlló](1904-1906), which is located on el Passeig de Gracia in Barcelona. Locals also call this house la "Casa dels ossos" ("the House of Bones") due to the skeletal look of the undulating fa ç ade with its iron balconies. To support the new, undulating fa ç ade, Gaudí constructed a skeleton of steel, a new innovation of the 19th and 20th centuries. He also added color to this previously commonplace building by adding brightly colored mosaics to the fa ç ade and roof. The large, colorful tiles of the curvy roof give it the appearance of a dragon or a dinosaur. The turret on top of the roof contains a cross, which symbolizes the lance of San Jorge. This symbol comes from the Cataluñan legend of San Jorge and the dragon, in which San Jorge battled and defeated a dragon to save a princess. This is one of the themes that can be found in many of Gaudí's artworks. This building truly stands out from the row of plain, rectangular, colorless buildings that are located beside it. La Casa Batlló became a World Heritage Site in 1984.

The second of Gaudí's two famous houses, [|la Casa Milà](1906-1910), is located on the same street as la Casa Batlló. It is also known as "La Pedrera" ("The Quarry"), due to its rocky, cave-like appearance. After the success of his Casa Batlló, Gaudí was commissioned by the Milà family to renovate their building of apartments. Once again, Art Nouveau manifested its influence on the architect's style through the undulating fa ç ade that Gaudí designed for the building. Gaudí also used a steel skeleton to support the fa ç ade. The undulating lines of the fa ç ades of la Casa Batlló and la Casas Milà are both key characteristics of Gaudí's style. The fluid and round lines of the fa ç ade hide the sharp edges of the windows, giving the entire building a cavernous look. The most unique aspect of la Casa Milà and what sets it apart from la Casa Batlló is the public rooftop park. Gaudí beautified the chimneys and ventilators protruding from the roof by hiding them with twisted forms and shapes, showing John Ruskin's influence. There are sidewalks on the roof that allow visitors to view the unique shapes and enjoy the view of Barcelona. Like la Sagrada Familia and la Casa Batlló, this house was named a World Heritage site in 1984.

Overall, Gaudí's artworks show the influence of Gothic art, Art Nouveau, John Ruskin, and most importantly of all, his love and pride for Cataluña.

Biography & Style: [] [] La Sagrada Familia: [] La Casa Batlló: [] La Casa Milà: []
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