Antonio Gaudi, The Awesome Architect

Antonio Gaudi was born in Reus (Spain) in 1852. He was a very sickly child, and suffered from rheumatism. His personalty was very shy and reserved. From the beginning he had always been a remarkable drawer. This allowed him to make the illustrations of a school magazine called Arlequin. Gaudi's father had to sell some land properties to be able to pay the studies of Antonio and his brother. Gaudi was not a good student. His interests were beyond the academic studies. He was imaginative, revolutionary. Elies Rogent, the director of the Architecture College, said once: "I don't know if we've given the degree to a genius or to a lunatic. Time will give the answer". His politic ideas were those of the Utopian Socialism. He worked as a draftsman for important architects. This was a positive step to get contacts for later works. After some works, Gaudy traveled to Paris. There, in an exposition, he met Eusebi Güell, a wealthy industrialist that became a friend and patron for Gaudi. In 1833 he accepted to lead the project "Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia" ("Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Family"). But Gaudi changed the project completely, and devoted to it all his time until he died. Gaudi was a man who felt a great passion for his work, so much that he even lived inside the buildings while they were in construction. He was mainly a creative genius. The imaginative shapes forged in iron in the balconies, the buildings or the furniture... all that was born from the mind of the genius. Gaudi was a visionary and a vanguard artist. He loved all the kinds of architecture: Classical, Arabian, Egyptian, Indian, Persian, Chinese, Japanese, Gothic, Baroque... He took elements from all that and merged them in his works, mixing, without following any rules or established conventions. He let his imagination fly, and that made his artworks so special and unique. His works were free and his fantasy knew no limits. His inspiration had its source in Nature. Gaudi said that in Nature there were logical shapes, strength and beauty. There were many who criticized him for his freedom of thought and his vanguard art. All that was perceived as a menace and an offense. Gaudi was more than a modernist architect and a creator of trends. He was a great artist, and his art obsessed him completely. In 1926, in a June 7th, he went for a walk like all days, and was run over by a streetcar. He was carrying no documents to identify him. His clothes were old, and had not very good appearance, so they thought he was a beggar, and took him to a Hospital for poor people. A priest recognized him. Three days after, he died. Between his most remarkable works there are: Casa Vicens (1883–1885), 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), and Sagrada Familia (1884–1926), although this last one is still in construction. Antonio Gaudi, one of the most brilliant architects that have ever been. -Emma Alvarez- © 2008 by Emma Alvarez. Link to this post without copying the text. Some Related Posts: If you liked this post, subscribe to Emma Alvarez Site or give yourself a gift Stumble it! Add me to your del.icio.us network