Antoni Gaudí (Reus, 1852 – Barcelona, 1926) is internationally regarded as a genius of architecture and art. Seven of his buildings are UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the Parc Güell, the Palau Güell and the Casa Milà (La Pedrera), since 1984; and the Casa Batlló, the Crypt of Colònia Güell, the Casa Vicens and the Nativity Façade and Crypt of the Sagrada Família, since 2005. For many years, his creations have been an allure for large numbers of visitors from around the world, who are amazed and captivated by their originality and beauty.

Trained at the Escola Provincial d’Arquitectura de Barcelona [Barcelona Provincial School of Architecture] in keeping with the norms of the period, Gaudí emerged during the booming age of Catalan Modernism and developed a completely original and innovative approach to architecture, pursuing his own individual path as an architect. Nevertheless, it is important to point out that he was not an isolated, out-of-touch genius. Rather, he was closely connected to the cultural reality of Catalonia, and he was also well acquainted with the new trends in European art in the second half of the 19th and early 20th centuries.

This project includes plans, drawings, models, furniture, architectural elements and sculptures, as well as photographs from the era and a range of audiovisuals, affording insight into this renowned architect and artist’s complex personality and most important works. This is a sort of tour that covers everything from his projects as a student and his work as an apprentice before completing his architectural studies, to the Sagrada Família cathedral, as well as major projects entrusted to him by Eusebi Güell and urban residential buildings, including his Casa Calvet, Casa Batlló and Casa Milà (La Pedrera).

The different projects on display reveal significant aspects of Gaudí’s work. The originality of his shapes, ornamentation and use of colours, along with the wealth of his symbols and his inspiration in nature are all elements that fascinate the viewer at the very first glance. Yet, with a closer look, we discover other underlying features that bear witness to the great architect that he was: they reveal the function behind the form of his constructions, the rationality behind the ornamentation. In other words, they show us that his architecture is a wonder of inventiveness, constructive solutions and innovation. In a word, they are the results of his own ingenuity, yet they are also born out of a lifetime of meticulous study and tremendous work in minute detail.

The discourse and content of this exhibition underscore the importance of understanding the artist’s work through a prism of professionalism, intellectual rigour and a spirit of learning, all of which are essential to a study of  Gaudí and his works.