Travel Reference
In-Depth Information
Modernista Masterpieces
La Pedrera
La Sagrada Família
Palau de la Música Catalana
Casa Batlló
Palau Güell
Casa Amatller
Hospital de la Santa Creu i de Sant Pau
MODERNISME & CATALAN IDENTITY
Modernisme did not appear in isolation in Barcelona. To the British and French the
style was art nouveau; to the Italians, Lo Stile Liberty; the Germans called it Jugendstil
(Youth Style); and the Austrians, Sezession (Secession). Its vitality and rebelliousness
can be summed up in those epithets: modern, new, liberty, youth and secession. A key
uniting element was the sensuous curve, implying movement, lightness and vitality. It
touched painting, sculpture and the decorative arts, as well as architecture. This leit-
motif informed much art nouveau thinking, in part inspired by longstanding tenets of
Japanese art.
There is something misleading about the name Modernisme. It suggests 'out with
the old, in with the new'. In a sense, nothing could be further from the truth. From
Gaudí down, Modernista architects looked to the past for inspiration. Gothic, Islamic
and Renaissance design all had something to offer. At its most playful, Modernisme
was able to intelligently flout the rule books of these styles and create exciting new
creations.
Aesthetics aside, the political associations are significant, as Modernisme became a
means of expression for Catalan identity. It barely touched the rest of Spain; where it
did, one frequently finds the involvement of Catalan architects. As many as 2000
buildings in Barcelona and throughout Catalonia display Modernista traces.
Everything from rich bourgeois mansion blocks to churches, from hospitals to factor-
ies, went up in this 'style', a word too constraining to adequately describe the flamboy-
ant breadth of eclecticism inherent in it.
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