Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Housed in Casa Garriga Nogués, this is a stunning, carefully restored Modernista residence
originally built for a rich banking family by Enric Sagnier in 1902-05.
The ground floor is given over to a display of Godia's driving trophies (and goggles) and a
video on his feats behind the wheel, as well as occasional temporary exhibitions.
The art is up the languidly curvaceous marble stairway on the 1st floor and organised
along roughly chronological lines across 17 rooms. The first five are given over mostly to
Romanesque and Gothic wooden sculptures. Some of these are especially arresting because
of their well-preserved colouring. The early-14th-century wood cut of Joseph of Armithea
(room 1), with its bright red, pyjama-like outfit, is a case in point. Jaume Huguet is repres-
ented in room 5 by
Santa Maria Magdalena,
a bright, Gothic representation of Mary Mag-
dalene dressed in red ermine.
Room 6 is a long and overwhelming rococo room with aqua-green walls and a selection of
Godia's extensive ceramics collection, with pieces from all the historic porcelain production
centresinSpain(includingManisesinValenciaandTalaveradelaReinainCastilla-La Man-
cha). Admire the fine Modernista stained-glass windows in room 8.
Godia's interests ranged from the Neapolitan baroque painter Luca Giordano to Catalan
ModernismeandValencia'sJoaquimSorolla.Room17,agalleryaroundthecentralstaircase,
contains several works by Modernista and Noucentista painters, like Ramon Casas, Santiago
Rusiñol and Isidre Nonell. There's even a modest Miró.
Museu del Modernisme CatalàMUSEUM
48; adult/concession €10/€8.50; icon-hoursgif
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10am-8pm Mon-Sat, to 2pm Sun;
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Passeig de Gràcia)
Housed in a Modernista building, the ground floor seems like a big Modernista furniture
showroom. Several items by Antoni Gaudí, including chairs from Casa Batlló and a mirror
from Casa Calvet, are supplemented by a host of items by his lesser-known contemporaries,
including some typically whimsical, mock medieval pieces by Puig i Cadafalch.
Thebasement,showingoffModernistatraitslikemosaic-coatedpillars,barebrickvaultsand
metal columns, is lined with Modernista art, including paintings by Ramon Casas and Santi-
ago Rusiñol, and statues by Josep Llimona and Eusebi Arnau.
