Antoni Gaud

(Paperback)

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The celebrated art nouveau architect Antoni Gaudi was a contradictory figure: a deeply religious, politically right-wing man who nevertheless created revolutionary, lyrical buildings. This book explores Gaudi's life, work and influences, from Catalan nationalism to the Industrial Revolution. Michael Eaude expertly guides readers through Gaudi's dozen great works, including the Sagrada Familia, which attracts millions of tourists to Barcelona each year. Gaudi's life is also chronicled, from his provincial upbringing in Reus to his time in Barcelona, where he became a dandy whose only attempt at marriage was rejected. He later suffered a nervous breakdown, became obsessively religious, and fused Gothic, Baroque, and Orientalist architecture into his unique style.

Reviews

"Journalist Eaude delivers an energetic survey of the life and work of Catalan architect Antoni Gaud . . . a worthy tribute to one of history's great iconoclasts."-- "Publishers Weekly"
"Eaude's 'Ode' to Gaud is a wonderful introduction to the architect as genius and Catalan myth, while also celebrating Gaud's extraordinary capacity to blend a medieval mindset with his position at the cutting edge of the avant-garde."--Gijs van Hensbergen, author of 'Gaud and Guernica'
"This new intellectual biography explains the complex synergy between the life and work of Gaud at a crossroads of history: from the awakening of the Catalan bourgeoisie to the shipwreck of his legacy in Barcelona today."--Carolina Garca-Estvez, Polytechnic University of Catalonia

Author Bio

Michael Eaude is a writer who has lived in Barcelona and Valencia for over 30 years. He is the author of several books on Spanish and Catalan culture, including A Peoples History of Catalonia (2022).