About Antoni Gaudí

It was precisely one of Gaudí’s professors, Joan Martorell, who in 1883 introduced him to Eusebi Güell, a prominent figure of the Catalan bourgeoisie who became his main patron. Thanks to Eusebi, he carried out works that continued his oriental phase, such as El Capricho (1883-1885), and directly for him, he created some of his most significant works, such as Finca Güell and Palau Güell (between 1883 and 1890), or later the Park Güell and the Crypt of Colònia Güell (1900-1914).

Interestingly, on the same day he met Eusebi, Joan Martorell offered Gaudí the chance to continue the works of the Sagrada Familia, a project that until then had been led by one of his professors, Francisco del Villar. Without a doubt, that day changed Antoni Gaudí’s life.

Gaudí closed a chapter and ended his collaboration with the bourgeoisie amidst the controversies surrounding his works. Starting in 1912, until his death in 1926, Gaudí abandoned all other pursuits to focus exclusively on the construction of the Sagrada Família, a project he had already been working on for 30 years.

There, in the temple, he moved to live in his studio, in one of the city’s humblest neighborhoods, immersing himself completely in his work and an ascetic life. Thus, this deeply Catholic man, who started as the architect of the people and lived his fullness working for the bourgeoisie, ended up becoming what some define as “the architect of God.” The Expiatory Temple of the Sagrada Família, whose construction began in 1882, is today one of Barcelona’s most iconic landmarks.