When you are  moving to another house you cannot help thinking about windows, stairs, IKEA and useful space. I have been doing that for a month, but let’s think about something beyond the usual. Let’s think about Antonio Gaudí – the most amazing mind ever born.

You know I love to share music to illustrate my posts. There is a 37 minutes long project of Alan Parson who is a legend himself. If you want to know more about Antonio Gaudí of Barcelona please find time to watch this video project from 1987:  Gaudí.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Cfy9KGK5pd8&w=560&h=315%5D

I took a few images of Gaudí’s strikingly beautiful  work –  Casa Batlló (1904–1906), a building designed to comfortably live in –  and the family did live there until the 1950s.

The image from the beginning of the 20th century

Another stunning building with the fleshy, organic look, Casa Milà (1906-1910)

It is sad that many Gaudí‘s projects were turned down because the authorities didn’t like them or abandoned because there was no financial support. Casa Mila was a target for critics for decades and stayed neglected until the 1980s when it was finally restored.  Gaudí was too ahead of his time.  He designed three dimensional shapes a century before computer imaging.

Palau Güell (1885-1889), Gaudí‘s project for his friend and patron Eusebi Güell. He was the only man who supported Gaudí all his life and understood his vision and a courage of fanatic.

In 1900 Güell and Gaudí started their unsuccessful housing project –  Parc Güell. They envisioned a community living in a beautiful natural park, but it didn’t work out the way it was intended.  Their project was appreciated a century later: nice to see that architecture has progressed beyond “less is more”,  finally.

The images of the exquisite furniture are taken in Gaudí‘s home in the park grounds where he lived until his death in 1926. His bedroom has rather ascetic look though.

There are some more images from the park –  an archway designed by Gaudí – a place for beautiful walks and numerous performers.

The archway designed to  be a part of the nature, and even the roots of the trees are growing through it.

Park Güell looks like it came from a fairy tale.  It is so busy that it is difficult to get close to it’s famous sculptures and other features to take a photograph.

The work of Gaudí‘s life is La Sagrada Familia. “My client is not in a hurry” he is said to have remarked, and it has been prophetic since the work is already going on for 130 years.

There is an incredibly beautiful blog by Indah Susanti, and recently she posted series of exquisite images of Sagrada Familia sculptures. I share a few of my images from inside the basilica. Unfortunately there was no access to the central area of the main nave that day and  I was not able to get that iconic image of the ceiling, but I was happy to see the play of light high above, and sit there overwhelmed by unspeakable quiet joy.

  Not being a specialist in Architecture I cannot tell what is exactly work of Gaudí and what was added by other architects during almost 100 years since his death, but I am sure that no architect has come close to matching his genius. Completion of the work is expected by 2026.

Gaudí was buried in the crypt of La Sagrada Familia, his unfinished masterpiece. They say that half of Barcelona was gathered there.

A few more images from Barcelona in my next blog 🙂

Photography tip of the day: When you take pictures in the street watch your environment. To get extra light you can position yourself to have a white or light painted wall across from where you shoot so that it reflects light on your subject. In the bright light use an open shadow where it is possible.

Have a wonderful week!