Palau de la Música Catalana: Modernism in Barcelona

Building Details

Architect, Dates, Location

Architect: Lluís Domènech i Montaner
Dates: 1905 - 1908
Location: Barcelona (Catalonia)

Style and Materials

Style: Modernism
Materials used: Iron, glass, ceramics, and bricks

Construction System

Construction System: Building materials

Formal Analysis

Structural Support

This building's structure is supported by iron beams and columns, built with industrial materials. Key closing elements are brick and glass. The roof is considered a forerunner of the curtain wall.

The form of support is similar to the Gothic style, where weight is supported by beams, reminiscent of the Gothic style's splendor in Catalonia.

Covering Elements

Covering elements include the Catalan vault, a type of brick vaulting where bricks are laid flat rather than on edge, allowing for thinner, lighter structures.

Interior Artistry

Here, important artists, potters, and sculptors of the time worked. The work of sculptors is particularly highlighted, especially a young Gargallo, who worked with Modernism and created sculptures, including two busts.

Sculptures on the stage were created by Eusebi Arnau and Lluís Bru, the mosaicist.

Exterior Decoration

The exterior features high decoration, including gargoyles and floral motifs. There is an abundance of decoration, and on one side, there is a sculptural group depicting Saint George.

Catalan Modernism Style

Catalan Modernism is an architectural style that developed in Catalonia, especially in Barcelona, over approximately 30 years between 1885 and 1920. This movement stemmed from the exhaustion of the aesthetic of the Neo-Gothic, Neo-Romanesque, and Neoclassical styles of the nineteenth century and preceded the architectural rationalism of the 1920s and 1930s. Although it was part of a mainstream emerging across Europe, in Catalonia, it acquired its own distinct personality and became the most developed form of Modernism.

Interpretation and Context

Historical Context

Context that directly influenced the work's creation:

• Catalonia was the manufacturing center of Spain.
• The Catalan bourgeoisie was experiencing a period of ascendancy.
• These were post-Renaixença years during which the Catalan bourgeoisie was politically booming.

Building's Significance

The content and significance of the building lie in its function as a concert hall, making the most important space the stage.