Antoni Gaudi's life, influences, and architectural legacy

Antonio Gaudi source (http://updatecenter.britannica.com/eb/Image?binaryId=83861&rendTypeId=4)

Antoni Gaud's Expiatory Temple of the Holy Family (Sagrada Fam'lia), Barcelona, Spain

Background and formative years

Antonio Gaudi was born in 1852 province of Tarragona in southern Catalonia, Spain. He was the last of five children born to Antonia Cornet and Francisco Gaudi. Possibly the earlier influences that may have led towards his career in architecture was the fact that the family consisted mainly of artisans involved in metalworking. As a child, the young Antonio suffered from arthritis, which affected his school attendance to a certain extent. However, this also provided him with more time for the observation of forms in nature that were to have an influence on his career. His grades at school were not exceptional but he did excel in geometry, poetry and Greek. (a BIOGRAPHY of ANTONIO GAUDI)

An extremely important part of his formative influences was his penchant for religious and spiritual views of life. As one commentator on the influences on his work states;

his religious nature probably came from his schooling with the Escolapius Fathers. At this school, he came to recognize the "value of the divine history of the salvation of man through Christ incarnate, given to the world be the Virgin Mary." Then, later in his life as he worked on the Sagrada Familia, he incorporated many of these beliefs into the architecture.

2. Architectural works

Barcelona at the beginning of the Twentieth century has been described as a "...perfect place for a young Gaudi to thrive... "(Resources - Antoni Gaud'). This is largely due to the fact that Catalan independence was emerging in Barcelona as a result of the distancing from the control and authority of Madrid. (Resources - Antoni Gaud'). This creative and independent atmosphere provided the underlying impetus and the opportunity for the original vision that Gaudi brought to architecture. There were also numerous business opportunities and projects available at the time. Furthermore, Gaudi was fortunate in having an influential entrepreneur to support his work in the wealthy industrialist, Eusebi Guell. Guell was to support and commission many of Gaudi's projects.

In more theoretical terms, Gaudi's work is related to the Catalan Modernism movement of the late Nineteenth Century and to the international art nouveau style. (Antonio Gaudi) it should also be noted that his works draw inspiration from many disciplines and from the input of artists, engineers and sculptors. The first commission that Gaudi was awarded was for the lampposts for the Plaza Real in Barcelona. (Antonio Gaudi)

This was followed by various commissions, which included furniture and alter pieces. An early work was the villa El Capricio at the resort area of Comillas. (Antonio Gaudi)

Initially, many of the works and his unique architectural style were criticized by some of his contemporaries. However, with the support of allies like Eusebi Guell and others, he achieved a national and then international status as an architect. A major part of his fame was based on his questioning of convention and his interrogation or deconstruction of classic architectural styles. " His deconstruction of classic architecture, refusal to use straight lines and organic shapes lent his buildings a surreal air that clearly wasn't to the tastes of his more traditional peers" (Resources - Antoni Gaud'.February 15, 2008). It should also be borne in mind that this questioning of convention and classic styles and perceptions did not take place in a vacuum, and there were many artists, architects and writers who were critical of the status quo and in search of new alternatives in the early Twentieth Century. This context should not be forgotten in assessing Gaudi's work.

Among his most outstanding works is "Casa Mila" also known as "La Pedrera" ("the Quarry"). However, the work that defines Gaudi's achievement as a modern and innovative architect is the well - known "Sagrada Familia" Church project. The architect devoted the last 43 years of his life to the project and it has become the artistic symbol of Barcelona. Among the many other projects that have achieved renown are the Palau Guell and the Palacio de Astorga as well as the Park Guell, which was initially built as a garden-city. (a BIOGRAPHY of ANTONIO GAUDI) He also worked on many other projects in Barcelona.

In summary, Antonio Gaudi's work has been both a source of inspiration, investigation and critique in the world of art and architecture. His works have become renowned for their innovative use of color and light as well as for the inclusion of unconventional sculptural forms. Gaudi has had a continuing influence on architecture and the modern world. For example, his plans for a New York hotel that were previously abandoned have been proposed for the redesign of the World Trade Center after the September 11, 2001 attacks. (Antonio Gaudi) He has also had a considerable impact on popular culture. "http: The Alan Parsons Project created the 1987 album Gaud' as a tribute to his life and works and his designs have featured in many modern films and animations. Gaudi was one of the modern artistic and architectural innovators of the Twentieth century, whose ordinal vision still reverberates in the architecture and artist world today.