Gaudinian lamp, ca. 1910. Gilt bronze. With wear... Lot 27

Gaudinian lamp, ca. 1910. Gilt bronze. With wear and tear typical of the period. Measurements: 95 x 70 cm (diameter). A lamp that follows the characteristics of Catalan modernism, specifically those established by the personality of Antonio Gaudí (Reus or Riudoms, Tarragona, 1852 - Barcelona, 1926), such as the soft, naturalistic forms that made the master from Reus the greatest exponent of Catalan and, therefore, Spanish modernism. As is usual in the purest modernism, the structure is not only hidden by the decoration, but is directly replaced by it: sculptures of dragons form the arms of the lamp and support the candlesticks. The piece culminates in the heraldic motif of the double-headed eagle and the coat of arms of Castile and León. The greatest representative of Catalan modernism, Gaudí is one of the most outstanding architects and decorators in European history. Even as a child he loved hiking and direct contact with nature. Having stood out as a child for his drawings, he studied architecture at the Llotja School and at the Barcelona School of Architecture, where he graduated in 1878. With his first major commission, the Casa Vicens, Gaudí began to make a name for himself and to attract increasingly important commissions. In 1878 he exhibited a showcase for the Comella glove shop at the Universal Exhibition in Paris. This piece, which was both modernist in design and functional, impressed the industrialist Eusebi Güell, a key figure in Gaudí's artistic biography from then on. In fact, Güell was not only Gaudí's great friend, but also his main patron, and commissioned some of his most outstanding works, such as the Parc Güell. In 1883 he accepted the commission to continue the work on the Sagrada Família; Gaudí completely modified the initial project, and this building became his masterpiece, on which he worked until the day he died. This project was followed by other important commissions, such as the episcopal palace of Astorga, the Batlló and Milá houses and the restoration of the cathedral of Palma de Mallorca. In 1910 the first exhibition dedicated to Gaudí was held at the Grand Palais in Paris. After his death, important retrospectives of the architect were held, including the one at the MOMA in New York, his first major international exhibition, which took place in 1957. Since the mid-20th century, Gaudí has been increasingly appreciated, culminating in the proclamation of several of his works as World Heritage Sites by UNESCO in 1984 (Park Güell, Güell Palace and Casa Milá) and 2005 (crypt and apse of the Sagrada Familia, the Vicens and Batlló houses and the crypt of the Colonia Güell). Gaudí's designs for furniture and decorative arts can now be admired in the Musée d'Orsay in Paris, the MOMA in New York, the National Gallery of Art in Washington D.C. and the National Art Museum of Catalonia, as well as in his House-Museum in Parc Güell.