This superb book is about Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí i Cornet (1852 – 1926), who in history of architecture stands alone. In first pages of the book is small introduction about his life and career. Almost his all work is found in and near Barcelona. The demand for it was concentrated in this city. Another reason was his strong feel to be a Catalan, not a Spaniard. He insisted on speaking also only Catalan, although he understood Spanish.
He designed houses, apartment blocks and religious buildings for Barcelona. This book contains well-known buildings as Casa Vicens, Güell Palace, Bellesguard, Güell Park, Casa Mila and on the last pages most famous of his works – Church of the Sagrada Familia. He started this building in 1882. He did not work out the design in advance, but, rather, made sketches of the general form and then improvised details as he went along. Gaudi estimated that the church would take two hundred years to build. He saw his work as act of atonement for his sins.
Güell Park (1900-1914) is another amazing work, shows ingenious use of waste tiles and produced hundreds of eye-teasing abstracts works of art. The decoration of buildings with tiles is an old tradition in both Spain and Portugal.
In all pages are superb photos of buildings’ interior and exterior.
It is a good possibility to get acquainted with architecture and Spain.
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Bristol: Parragon, 1995
Check from e-catalogue ESTER.
Katrin Antonenko
Department of Literature in Foreign Languages