Gaudi. Complete Works, The 40th Ed.

Description: The life of Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926) was full of complexity and contradictions. As a young man he joined the Catalonian nationalist movement and was critical of the church; toward the end of his life he devoted himself completely to the construction of one single spectacular church, La Sagrada Familia. In his youth, he courted a glamorous social life and the demeanor of a dandy. By the time of his death in a tram accident on the streets of Barcelona, his clothes were so shabby that passersby assumed he was a beggar. Gaudi's incomparable architecture channels much of this multifaceted intricacy. From the shimmering surface textures and skeletal forms of Casa Batllo to the Hispano-Arabic matrix of Casa Vicens, his work merged the influences of Orientalism, natural forms, new materials, and religious faith into a unique Modernista aesthetic. Today, his buildings enjoy global popularity and acclaim; his magnum opus, the Sagrada Familia, is the most-visited monument in Spain and seven of his works are UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Packed full of expert texts and hundreds of full-color illustrations, including new photography, this book presents Gaudi's complete oeuvre. Like a personal tour through Barcelona, we explore his residential, religious, and public projects. We see how the "Dante of architecture" was a builder in the truest sense of the word, crafting extraordinary constructions out of minute and mesmerizing details, transforming fantastical visions into realities on the city streets. Review: "This book shows us the Catalan architect's universe as never before." * El Pais * "There is probably no better way to enter the mind of Gaudi than through this book." * eldiario.es * Author Biography: Rainer Zerbst studied modern languages at the University of Tubingen and in Wales from 1969 to 1975. From 1976 to 1982 he worked as a research assistant in the Department of English at the University of Tubingen. Since completing his doctorate in 1982, Zerbst has been active as a critic in the fields of art, literature, and theater.