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The other modernistas
With Gaudí in a class of his own, it was
Lluís Domènech i Montaner
(1850–
1923) who was perhaps the greatest
pure
modernista
architect. Drawing on
the rich Catalan Romanesque and
Gothic traditions, his work combined
traditional craft methods with modern
technological experiments, seen to
triumphant effect in his masterpiece,
the
Palau de la Música Catalana
.
This exciting marriage of techniques
first inspired
Josep Puig i Cadafalch
(1867–1957) to become an architect,
and his work too contains a wildly
inventive use of ceramic tiles, ironwork,
stained glass and stone carving. His
first commission, the Casa Martí,
housed the
Quatre Gats
tavern for
the city’s
modernista
artists and avant-
garde hangers-on, while mansions like
Casa Macaya and Casa de les Punxes
display distinct Gothic and medieval
influences.
Crafts and collaborators
Modernisme
was a collaborative effort
between the architects and their
craftsmen and artisans. Domènech i
Montaner in particular recognized
the importance of ensemble working,
establishing a workshop in the building
he designed initially as a restaurant
for Barcelona’s Universal Exhibition of
1888 (now the Museu de Zoologia).
Gaudí’s longtime collaborator was
Josep Maria Jujol i Gilbert
, a master
of mosaic decoration, responsible for
most of the startling ceramic work
in Parc Güell, while
Eusebi Arnau
provided meticulous carvings for all
the main
modernista
architects – much
loved are his quirky figures adorning
Casa Batlló
Sagrada Família
Palau Güell