Antoni Gaudí i Cornet

Antoni Gaudí (1852-1926)ParentsFrancesc Gaudí Serra (1813-1906), a coppersmith from Riudoms, married Antonia Cornet Bertran (?-1876), daughter of coppersmiths from Reus, on May 9, 1843, in the parish church of St. Peter the Apostle, in Reus, before the Vicar Joan Ixart.BirthAntoni Plàcid Guillem Gaudí Cornet was born on Wednesday, June 25, 1852, at nine-thirty AM in Baix Camp, in the province of Tarragona. Some historians say that he was born in "Mas de la Calderera," his family's country home almost exactly halfway between Reus and Riudoms. Others say he was born in Reus. The truth is that nobody has definitive evidence.He was baptized on June 26, in the baptismal font of the parish church of St. Peter the Apostle in Reus, archbishopric of Tarragona, by Joan Casas (priest and Vicar of the church). Siblings Antoni, the couple's fifth child, was to live the longest. His siblings included sisters Rosa (May 5, 1844-1879), who married and had a daughter, Rosa Egea Gaudí, and Maria (June27, 1845-January 10 1850); and brothers Francesc (March 26, 1848-April 20, 1850) and Francesc (May 27, 1851-1876), who earned a Medical degree, but never practiced. Childhood From the time he was small, he had a rheumatic problem that prevented him from playing with other children his age, and required him to move about on a donkey or stay at home, because the pain kept him from walking. It also made him miss lots of class, which allowed him to spend many hours observing animals, plants and stones. This sickness was with him throughout his life, and doctors recommended a vegetarian diet and occasional strolls; this may be the reason that, when he was older and lived in Barcelona, he walked every evening to the church of Sant Felip Neri, where he stayed for awhile to pray. School Years His school years began in the preschool of teacher Francesc Berenguer, located on the roof of a house on Carrer dels Monterols, in Reus. An anecdote from this time tells how, after the teacher gave a lecture saying that birds had wings for flying, young Gaudí responded saying that the chickens they had at his house had wings but didn't fly; they used them to run faster. At his young age Antoni already showed an uncommonly keen vision.At age eleven (1863-64 school year) he entered the Col.legi de les Escoles Píes (Pious School) in Reus, located in the ancient convent of Sant Francesc. From this moment on it seems that his intellectual growth was substantial, since he achieved very good grades in Geometry. His "religiousness" probably began there, because every Saturday evening, the Oficio del Parvo de la Virgen was recited. His academic transcript is still kept there. It makes it clear that he was not a genius in school, but with the years of study he made notable improvements, eventually earning some "excellent" grades.On one occasion, during a visit from old students of the Sant Antoni School in Barcelona to the Sagrada Familia, Gaudí himself showed his satisfaction for having been a student of the Escola Pía. In addition, he added that in that school he realized the "value of the divine history of the salvation of man through Christ incarnate, given to the world by the Virgin Mary." He later tried to put these ideas into his greatest work, the Sagrada Familia.At this time he made drawings to illustrate the handwritten weekly school newsletter and designed the scenes for the school theatre. He made significant physical changes that allowed him to take field trips, on which he greatly enjoyed observing new landscapes. University In 1868 Gaudí moved to Barcelona to study architecture. Before entering the University he took a preparatory course for access to the Provincial School of Architecture, where he had to pass three elective courses. He also had to pass two courses in the College of Science. Once he completed this course, he was able to enter the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura (Upper Technical School of Architecture), where the entire degree included an initial course, a preparatory course, and four more years of study.At the Provincial School, he often missed class, but went to the library frequently. While studying Architecture he also attended Philosophy, History, Economics and Aesthetics classes, because he said that different architectural styles did not depend on aesthetic ideas but on the social and political atmosphere.Antoni was not an outstanding student, but he was good enough to obtain a solid education of elementary architectural knowledge. His grades were anything but splendid, but there were two "excellent" grades: one in the Trial drawings and design of buildings or their parts (Projects) course. The project was intended to be the entry gate of a cemetery, but Gaudí began by drawing a hearse and some sad characters to create the adequate scene. When the examiner saw the drawing, he thought that he had before him either an insane man or a genius. These descriptors would accompany Gaudí throughout his life. When he submitted this drawing he failed for not having drawn the gate; but in September he received the highest score with a brilliant drawing. He earned the other "excellent" in another Projects course, with a project for the patio of the Barcelona Provincial Council. This earned him the opportunity to apply for an Extraordinary Award, but the Jury decided not to award it.On February 11, 1878, the director of the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura sent the transcripts of four students, Gaudí among them, to the rector of the University, in order for them to be granted the title of Architect. When Gaudí heard, he told his colleague and friend, Llorenç Matamala, that he already considered himself an architect, with a certain air of superiority because he had considered himself an architect since long before.He lived in two different places while studying, always accompanied by his father and niece, Rosa Egea; they were all his family, since he never married. His mother died shortly after Gaudí began studying for his degree in architecture, in 1876. When he requested the examination of the College of Sciences, he was living in Barcelona, at Plaça de Montcada, number 12, in a store (the House of Patrici Barnusell). The following year his address was at Carrer d'Espaseria, number 10. In 1872, he lived on Carrer Montjuïc de San Pedro, number 16, 4th floor. Later he moved to Carrer de la Cadena, number 22, 3rd floor. Influences Gaudí sought out stimulus for his creations in medieval books, in the gothic art that was then experiencing a renaissance, in illustrations of oriental structures and in the organic shapes of nature. The straight line, rigidity and order in forms was broken with the arrival of Arte Nouveau at the beginning of the Nineteenth Century.Gaudí was not insensitive to this change, and developed a style of his own. The theoretical writings of Englishman John Ruskin, who in 1853 taught that ornament was the origin of architecture, greatly influenced him. He was also significantly influenced, at a younger age, by Viollet-le-Duc's book on medieval French architecture from the eleventh to the sixteenth centuries, and by books by other authors, such as William Morris.Military ServiceHe fulfilled his military service requirement from 1874-77. His file reveals that he was a draftsman, but doesn't mention his place of birth. He enlisted at the age of 22 (July 7, 1874) and was assigned to the Army Infantry in Barcelona, where he continued in December, 1876, as assistant in Military Administration. He paid 37.25 pesetas for the uniform. He was declared Benemérito de la Patria ("Glorious Son of the Motherland") at the end of the carlist civil war, even though he was never in combat.Personality and AppearanceGaudí had a bad temper (there is a Catalan saying: "Gent de camp, gent de lamp," which means "People from the country are quick-tempered people"). He said that his bad temper was the one thing he was never able to control in his life. On the other hand, Gaudí took interest in the social problems of the workers, and felt attached to the people.His blonde hair, deep blue eyes, fine features and rosy skin made him appear Nordic, but he always retorted to whomever told him so, showing his pride for being Mediterranean.Youth In order to pay for his education, his father had to sell a family property, and Gaudí himself had to work for some Barcelona builders. As a student, his first projects were drafting for Professor Francisco de Paula Villar, working on the apse and niche of the church of the Monastery of Montserrat; with builder Fontseré, on the Ciutadella; and precision-drafting the machines of the Padrós i Borrás company.But as soon as he completed these projects, he tried to enjoy everything that he had gone without during his education. He had a reputation as a "dandy": he liked to dress well, in the latest fashion, and to be surrounded by high society. He bought his hats at the Casa Arnau, one of the best stores in the business. His business card was carefully designed, and Audorand, the barber, groomed his beard. Only his shoes were second-hand; he found new shoes uncomfortable, so he got his brother to wear them for awhile first.At that time, there was a resurgence in Catalan nationalist sentiment, as the nationalists claimed their rights after years of suppression. Gaudí felt profoundly nationalistic and closely followed all the nationalist events of the time, as shown by his membership in the "Catalan Association of Scientific Excursions," which was dedicated to visiting Catalonia's historic monuments. On these excursions he increased his knowledge of the ancient architecture of his land. In many of his buildings, we can also see shields with four bars (the crest of Catalonia) or sculptures in honor of St. George, the patron saint of Catalonia.Gaudí: a hard workerTurn-of-the-century Barcelona flourished, thanks to the textile industry; the wealthy liked to be surrounded by artists, intellectuals and famous people, and the bourgeoisie enjoyed great prestige. This was a good atmosphere for the young architect, who saw how numerous doors were opened for him to carry out his projects. Anyway, Gaudí never renounced contact with the less-favored working classes from which he came. It is not surprising that his first large project was workers' housing in a factory, the Cooperativa Mataronense ("Mataró Cooperative"). The project was intended to improve the workers' quality of life, but Gaudí's project was ahead of its time (which was more conservative), and only one section of the factory and a kiosk were built. The architect was slightly disappointed, but the presentation of his project at the Paris World Fair in 1878 meant the beginning of his fame. There, he also presented a showcase for pret-a-portier gloves from the shop of Esteban Comella, thanks to which he met the man who would become one of his best friends and patrons, Eusebi Güell.After the World Fair, he decorated the Gibert pharmacy in Barcelona, collaborated with the architect Martorell on various jobs, and designed a shooting box for Eusebio Güell, although it was never built. His relationship with Martorell allowed him to take over management of what would become his monumental work: the Sagrada Familia. This project was initially managed by Francisco de Paula del Villar, Gaudí's former professor, who volunteered to carry out the ideas of Josep Bocabella, founder of the "Association of Devotees of San José". Martorell was part of the Temple Council. He disagreed with del Villar about the materials that should be used to make the pillars and, when they couldn't reach an agreement, del Villar stepped down. Bocabella offered the position to Martorell, who, because of the situation, did not accept, but proposed his young assistant, Gaudí, who was immediately accepted.In 1883, Gaudí officially took control of the project, and dedicated 43 years of his life to them.That same year, he was asked by ceramic manufacturer Manuel Vicens to build a house on Carrer de San Gervasi (now Carrer de les Carolines), where the use of ceramics was unlimited, and details reminiscent of autochthonous plants could be seen. He was also asked to build the villa, "El Capricho," for the brother-in-law of the Marquee of Comillas. Gaudí didn't directly oversee this project, delegating his work to Cristofol Cascante, his colleague from the university, who followed the plans and models provided him by Gaudí.His next major projects were the Palau Güell (Güell Palace) and the Palacio de Astorga (Astorga Palace). In the first, located on Carrer Nou de la Rambla, in Barcelona, Güell trusted completely in Gaudí's daring and innovative ideas, and was in awe of his friend's genius. The second was an assignment by his friend, the Bishop of Astorga, consisting of the construction of the Episcopal Palace that had burned down. Gaudí enthusiastically requested photographs and books to get acquainted with the site, and adapt his project to its characteristics.Some of Eusebi Güell's clients took advantage of Gaudí's presence in Astorga to ask him to build a house on a central square in Leon. The edifice, which was often criticized during construction for appearing unstable, has a monumental and medieval appearance; it is called the "Casa de los Botines."While managing construction of the palaces, he built the Transatlantic pavilion for the Barcelona World Fair in 1888, and received another of his many religious projects, the School of the Theresians.In 1898, the cornerstone was laid for the church of the Colonia Güell (Güell Colony, a factory-town project), in Santa Coloma de Cervelló. Only the crypt was built. This edifice stands out for its original construction and the method used by Gaudí to design it: the catenary model, consisting of a series of cords and small sacks weighted in proportion to the arches and the weight they would have to Gaudí never felt recognized by official organizations; the City of Barcelona only assigned him to design the lampposts in the Plaça Reial and the Plaça de Palau, and only once did he receive the award to the Building of the Year, in 1900, for his least extravagant building, the Casa Calvet. That same year he started a project at the Figueras home, in Bellesguard, where Gaudí carried out another project for a businessman, making it a homage to the kings of the Middle Ages. He also began Park Güell (Güell Park), which was first intended to be a garden-city, with sixty homes for the upper middle-class, with various common services. Park Güell could be considered an environmentally sensitive development. Changes in the natural shape of the land were avoided when laying out the streets; remains of broken pieces from ceramic factories were used in the spectacular mosaics; and felling of trees was absolutely forbidden.En 1905, he moved with his father and niece to the park's model home, built by Berenguer, his assistant. A few months later, his father died. Then he put his niece in a boarding school, where she died on January 11, 1912.Between 1900 and 1914, Gaudí and his collaborators also worked on the reforms of the Cathedral in Palma de Mallorca. This project was focused on the Choir (to be moved to the presbytery), some stained-glass windows, some side altars and the new location of the high altar, among other things. Gaudí was removed from management of the project before finishing, because the people considered his work a betrayal of the church's original style.But the most outstanding work initiated by Gaudí in 1904 was assigned to him by Josep Batlló, for a house he owned on the Passeig de Gràcia (an important avenue in Barcelona). It was to be an almost total reformation of the building, in which the architect surprised everybody with those balconies that seem to move, that large cross that crowns the undulating roof, a fantastic interior patio and original chimneys.The one he surprised the most was Pere Milá, the member of the Cortes (Spanish Parliament) who had recommended the brilliant architect to Batlló. Along with his wife, from Reus, he decided to commend him the construction of a new building on the same Paseo, on the corner with Carrer de Provença, which would become "La Pedrera." The City tried to stop this project on various occasions because many of its constructed parts exceeded the legal limits; Gaudí ignored them and continued with his work, finishing the edifice in 1910. Final periodIt appears that Gaudí achieved his greatest fame and renown in 1910, gaining the attention of some Americans who asked him to build a hotel in New York. An exhibition on Gaudí's work, promoted by Eusebi Güell, was held in the Grand Palais in Paris, from April to June of 1910, and some of the plans and photographs exhibited there were also taken a year later to the I Salón de Arquitectura (First Annual Architecture Show) in Madrid. In 1911, he had Maltese fever, and stayed for a time in Puigcerda, where his condition worsened and, believing his time had come, he made out his will. To the day of his death, he worked exclusively on the Sagrada Família, and in 1925 moved his residence to the studio he had on the premises.Old Gaudí and his death In his old age, Gaudí was a man that was conformed with little and dressed without much care; so much so that the day of his accident nobody recognized him as he lay on the ground. On June 7, 1926, he was run over by a tram at the intersection of Carrer de Bailén and the Gran Vía, and the taxi drivers refused to take a poor vagabond to the hospital (the municipal police fined them later for not assisting an injured man). He did not seek out contact with journalists and he avoided cameras, so there are few photographs of the architect.This change in attitude may have been caused by a series of events that took place beginning in 1912. That year, his niece, Rosa Egea, who lived with him in Barcelona, died. In 1914, his faithful collaborator, Francesc Berenguer Mestres, died, and for matters of professional fees, he was confronted with the Milà family in litigation. In 1915, the continuity of the construction of the Sagrada Familia was endangered by a serious economic crisis. En 1914, construction of the Colonia Güell was definitively interrupted. Two years later, his friend, Doctor Torras i Bages, Archbishop of Vic, died. In 1918, his best friend and patron, Eusebi Güell, passed away. They were sad events that affected him but did not limit his energy and desire to see his greatest work, the Sagrada Família, come into being.Gaudí died at the age of 74 (June 10, 1926), but if it hadn't been for the tram he may have lived many more years, since his father had lived to the age of 93, with all his vigor. Half of Barcelona dressed in black to give final homage to a man that had become very popular, although few had ever met him personally. His body was buried in the crypt of the edifice where he had worked for the last 43 years of his life, the Sagrada Familia.Gaudí's first works were designed in the style of gothic and traditional Spanish architectural modes, but he soon developed his own distinct sculptural style. French architect Eugene Viollet-le-Duc, who promoted an evolved form of gothic architecture, proved a major influence on Gaudí. But the student surpassed the master architect and contrived highly original designs – irregular and fantastically intricate. Some of his greatest works, most notably La Sagrada Família, have an almost hallucinatory power.Architectural and Artistic Style:Gaudí, throughout his life, was fascinated by nature. He studied nature's angles and curves and incorporated them into his designs. Instead of relying on geometric shapes, he mimicked the way trees and humans grow and stand upright. The hyperboloids and paraboloids he borrowed from nature were easily reinforced by steel rods and allowed his designs to resemble elements from the environment.He integrated the parabolic arch and hyperboloid structures, nature's organic shapes, and the fluidity of water into his architecture. While designing buildings, he observed the forces of gravity and related catenary principles.(Gaudí designed many of his structures upside down by hanging various weights on interconnected strings or chains, using gravity to calculate catenaries for a natural curved arch or vault.Using the trencadís technique, Gaudí often decorated surfaces with broken tiles.The architect's work was categorized as Art Nouveau architecture, a precursor to modern architecture. But his adoption of biomorphic shapes rather than orthogonal lines put him in a category unto himself (in Latin, sui generis).Interesting Facts:Gaudí's originality was at first ridiculed by his peers. Indeed, he was first only supported by the rich industrialist Eusebi Güell. His fellow citizens referred to the Casa Milà as La Pedrera ("the quarry"), and George Orwell, who stayed at Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, admittedly loathed his work. As time passed, though, his work became more famous, up to the point that he is now considered one of Catalonia's, and the world's, best and brightest.For more info view: Life and Works of Antonio Gaudí Early career
* 1878–1879: Lampposts for the Plaça Reial at Barcelona;
* 1878: Showcase for glove manufacturer Comella. Via this work, used at the World's Fair in Paris, Eusebi Güell came to know the architect.
* 1878–1882: Several designs for the Obrera Mataronense at Mataró. Only a very small part of these plans was built, but it shows Gaudí's first use of parabolic arches, here in a wooden structure.
* 1883–1885: Casa Vicens;
* 1883–1885: Villa "El Capricho" at Comillas (Santander);
* 1884: Finca Güell: Entrance pavillion and stables for the palace at Pedralbes (first completed building for Eusebi Güell);
* 1884–1891: Completion of the crypt of the Sagrada Família (the crypt had been started by the architect Francisco del Villar in 1882, who had to abandon the project in 1883);
* 1885–1889: Palau Güell;
* 1887–1893: Episcopal palace at Astorga;
* 1889–1894: Colegio Teresiano;
* 1891–1893: Outer walls of the absis of the Sagrada Família;
* 1892–1894: Casa de los Botines at León.
Main Works
* Casa Vicens (1878–1880)
* Palau Güell (1885–1889)
* College of the Teresianas (1888–1890)
* Crypt of the Church of Colònia Güell (1898–1916)
* Casa Calvet (1899–1904)
* Casa Batlló (1905–1907)
* Casa Milà (La Pedrera) (1905–1907)
* Park Güell (1900–1914)
* Sagrada Família Nativity façade and Crypt of the Sagrada Família cathedral (1884–1926)
Swedish composer S.J. Petterson has completed the tballet "Gaudí - Dancing About Architecture" inspired by Antonio Gaudi's works, which is to be previewd at :
gaudi-dancingaboutarchitecture.com