What do you think?
Rate this book
Gaudi
This is a critical biography of one of the 20th century's greatest architects. At the time of his death in 1926, Antoni Gaudi was arguably the most famous architect in the world. He had created some of the greatest and most controversial masterpieces of modern architecture, that were as exotic as they were outrageous. A pre
408 pages, Paperback
First published January 1, 2001
73 people are currently reading
760 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
August 1, 2018
Van Hensbergen's ambitious biography of Antoni Gaudi attempts to contextualize the social, religious, and political atmosphere of Barcelona and Catalan to elucidate the personality and motivations of Gaudi and his art. While informative, the author's focus on the nationalistic and Catholic roots of Gaudi's designs does not go far enough in adequately explaining the eclectic and fantastical elements of his work. Gaudi lived the life of a fervent Catholic and Catalan nationalist in that order, his eccentric style seems to serve as a sort of mental or artistic release from the traditions and structures of his daily life.
October 14, 2024
Gijs van Hensbergen's "Gaudí" is a wonderful book for the reader with an adequate knowledge of the political and cultural history of Barcelona between 1850 and 1950. My recommendation would be to read "Barcelona" by Robert Hughes first . Without the background provided by Hughes, Hensbergen's book would be extremely confusing to any non-Catalan reader.
Like many young North American tourists I was charmed by the extravagant kitsch of Gaudí's buildings when I made my first trip to Europe. Hensbergen is sympathetic with my sentiments but prefers the term "Disney-fed vulgarity" (p. xxix) For his part Salvador Dali talk's of Gaudí's "superbly creative bad taste" (p. 257) to explain Gaudí's tremendous appeal.
However weird Gaudí's buildings may have been, they brought joy to the viewer. Hensbergen writes: "No other architect in history has given us so much pleasure and joy." (p. 269) It is for this reason that they have become major tourist attractions.
Gaudí's influences were primarily local. Because of his admiration for the Mosque of Cordoba and the Alhambra, Gaudí went through a Moorish or neo-Mudejar phase early in his career during which he produced "El Capricho" and the "Casa Vicens". The greatest influence on Gaudí however was the Montserrat Monastery which could be seen in the "Casa Milà"
The "Casa Milà" is in Hensbergen's view Gaudí's best work with second best being the crypt of the "Colonia Güell'. Hensbergen does not particularly like Gaudí's most famous building the Sagrada Familia. In his view, Gaudi's fervent Catholicism got the better of him and he simply lost control of the project: "Gaudi's epic ambition to construct a three-dimensional record of the history and credo of the Catholic faith, placing Catalonia at the centre of Christendom, had been an impossible one. ... If Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is for some reason finished before Judgement Day then somewhere someone will have to start all over again." (p. 264)
Hensbergen has trouble affixing a label to Gaudí describing him in different places as being a modernist, a catholic modernist and finally a post-modernist. He notes that Gaudí did not create a school: "He had some followers but created no global new style." (p. 270) The major achievement of Gaudí then is the way in which he gives expression to Catalan nationalist and continues in the 21st century to inspire those who believe in the Catalan nation. This is why Hensbergen dreads the day when the construction of the Sagrada Famalia will be completed.
I enjoyed Hensbergen's book but am not entirely persuaded by his arguments. Among other things I think that he should have made some mention of the Kitsch movement that existed elsewhere in Europe at the time that Gaudí was active. I also think that some mention should have been made of John Nash's tacky Brighton Pavilion which has Moorish features similar to those of Gaudí's Casa Vicens or El Capricho.
Like many young North American tourists I was charmed by the extravagant kitsch of Gaudí's buildings when I made my first trip to Europe. Hensbergen is sympathetic with my sentiments but prefers the term "Disney-fed vulgarity" (p. xxix) For his part Salvador Dali talk's of Gaudí's "superbly creative bad taste" (p. 257) to explain Gaudí's tremendous appeal.
However weird Gaudí's buildings may have been, they brought joy to the viewer. Hensbergen writes: "No other architect in history has given us so much pleasure and joy." (p. 269) It is for this reason that they have become major tourist attractions.
Gaudí's influences were primarily local. Because of his admiration for the Mosque of Cordoba and the Alhambra, Gaudí went through a Moorish or neo-Mudejar phase early in his career during which he produced "El Capricho" and the "Casa Vicens". The greatest influence on Gaudí however was the Montserrat Monastery which could be seen in the "Casa Milà"
The "Casa Milà" is in Hensbergen's view Gaudí's best work with second best being the crypt of the "Colonia Güell'. Hensbergen does not particularly like Gaudí's most famous building the Sagrada Familia. In his view, Gaudi's fervent Catholicism got the better of him and he simply lost control of the project: "Gaudi's epic ambition to construct a three-dimensional record of the history and credo of the Catholic faith, placing Catalonia at the centre of Christendom, had been an impossible one. ... If Gaudi's Sagrada Familia is for some reason finished before Judgement Day then somewhere someone will have to start all over again." (p. 264)
Hensbergen has trouble affixing a label to Gaudí describing him in different places as being a modernist, a catholic modernist and finally a post-modernist. He notes that Gaudí did not create a school: "He had some followers but created no global new style." (p. 270) The major achievement of Gaudí then is the way in which he gives expression to Catalan nationalist and continues in the 21st century to inspire those who believe in the Catalan nation. This is why Hensbergen dreads the day when the construction of the Sagrada Famalia will be completed.
I enjoyed Hensbergen's book but am not entirely persuaded by his arguments. Among other things I think that he should have made some mention of the Kitsch movement that existed elsewhere in Europe at the time that Gaudí was active. I also think that some mention should have been made of John Nash's tacky Brighton Pavilion which has Moorish features similar to those of Gaudí's Casa Vicens or El Capricho.
July 24, 2024
3,5/5. An interesting biography of an amazing architect. I read it in preparation for my trip in Spain in a couple of weeks. I find it interesting to know more about the man and his works. Unfortunately, I also found it to be very dense with tons of names dropping of people, places and buildings/cathedrals/others monuments. That, for me, was too much, of course, I don’t know much about architecture or Spain history, and I’m glad to have read it to learn more, but at times, too many details made it harder to stay focus on it. That being said, it is undoubtedly well documented and research. Definitely not for everybody, a very specific subject and targeted audience.
January 19, 2020
Rated 2star. Granted that Gaudi was a secretive and difficult person, but van Hensbergen has spent much of his writing career on the Barcelonan. The best parts of the book were in the descriptions of actual architecture, both the buildings and the ornamentation. Additionally, the pages detailing Catalonia's reaction to Gaudi's death were very informative without dropping into sentimentality. Some of the dialogue and scenes where Gaudi interacted memorably with others were very good, layering the protagonist's character for the reader. The writing about class war and the bloodbath in the streets for this era of Barcelona were particularly good -- and I came away feeling that Gaudi pretty much ignored it all, except the afternoon he was stubbornly speaking Catalan and got locked up for a few hours.
van Hensbergen has three irritating authorial traits in this book. He loves to suddenly drop a handful of Catalan names into a paragraph -- because they were important, see, and they were with Gaudi. Trouble is, we don't know these people, and after awhile Wikipedia is tiring. Second, movements (e.g., modernista) are poorly defined, because evidently, the author knew the answer but wanted the reader to work harder. Gijs also liked to wax rhapsodic about the architecture by claiming, frequently, that it held both "Property A" and "Not Property A." I'm all for non-binary solutions, but what was supposed to come over as deep thinking just felt slippery and ambiguous.
van Hensbergen has three irritating authorial traits in this book. He loves to suddenly drop a handful of Catalan names into a paragraph -- because they were important, see, and they were with Gaudi. Trouble is, we don't know these people, and after awhile Wikipedia is tiring. Second, movements (e.g., modernista) are poorly defined, because evidently, the author knew the answer but wanted the reader to work harder. Gijs also liked to wax rhapsodic about the architecture by claiming, frequently, that it held both "Property A" and "Not Property A." I'm all for non-binary solutions, but what was supposed to come over as deep thinking just felt slippery and ambiguous.
December 6, 2024
I bought this in Barcelona in 2005 and it’s sat on my shelf ever since waiting for the right time to be read. This summer’s family holiday to Barcelona and Girona felt the right time. It was a dry read and very factual by circumstances: a lot of Gaudi’s own writings have been lost. It gallops through his life detailing his birth, school years and professional life in perfunctory detail and introduced me to some of his works I was unfamiliar with but in terms of understanding the man, identifying his inspirations and sources it was sadly lacking. Would I recommend it? No. Read a brief online biog then go see his works.
April 11, 2021
Cat de important e sa intelegi contextul personal al artistului, cel social-politic al operei si cel al curentelor artistice care l-au influentat sau pe care le-a precedat! Pana acum, la Barcelona, i-am privit opera tel quelle (sau tel quel?), insa simt
nevoia sa le mai vad inca o data, ca sa le simt si mai bine.
nevoia sa le mai vad inca o data, ca sa le simt si mai bine.
September 21, 2012
If you intend to read Gaudi: A Biography by Gijs van Hensbergenthis book, be sure to obtain a copy of:
Gaudi by Pere Vivas (Photographer) published by Triangle books.
The photos are necessary to fully understand the biography.
If you prefer only one book, make it the Pere Vivas book.
Gaudi by Pere Vivas (Photographer) published by Triangle books.
The photos are necessary to fully understand the biography.
If you prefer only one book, make it the Pere Vivas book.
July 18, 2022
Величие победы измеряется степенью ее трудности.
(М. Монтень)
Вы любите корриду? Вы считаете, что это происки дьявола, который заставляет человека выплескивать наружу всю свою жестокость и убивать животных? Вы искренне полагаете, что это гимн мужеству и отваге? С чем вы можете сравнить корриду?
Гиз ван Хенсберген сравнил ее с искусством, а на роль смелого и одержимого тореадора выбрал Антонио Гауди, человека, отдавшего всю жизнь столице прекрасной и зажигательной Каталонии, - Барселоне. Необычный подход, надо сказать. Но наверное это именно тот образ, который позволил автору так ярко и объемно передать самую суть биографии великого архитектора. Гауди вызвал на бой черного быка - все то закостенелое и бездушное, что было в домах и церквях Барселоны. И когда вы смотрите на фантасмагорию башен и барельефов собора Саграда Фамилия, вы понимаете, что тореро выиграл бой. Это был трудный бой, ибо это была война с прямой линией, война с окаменевшими догматами, доминирующими в архитектуре XIX века, но когда человек кладет свою жизнь на алтарь такой борьбы, победа ему обязательно улыбнется. И может даже не сейчас, а потом, когда по прошествии многих лет идеи Гауди оценили потомки тех жителей Барселоны, что недолюбливали его творения при его жизни. Но победа будет на стороне тореро, бык будет заколот!
В этой биографии я нашла все то, что хотела бы видеть в книгах такого жанра. Это не художественная обработка фактов, далекая от реальности. Это не сухое изложение цифр и дат, которое как убивает желание читать, так и делает невозможным разглядеть личность выдающегося человека, о котором написана книга. Это гармоничное и располагающее к себе произведение. Я читала эту книгу и с каждой страницей проникалась уважением к ее автору. Поистине титанический труд!
Мне кажется, что эту биографию можно порекомендовать всем, кто считает, что серость погубит этот мир, всем тем, кто хочет быть свободным, избегать шпампов и идти к своей мечте. Надеюсь, что когда вы будете ее читать, вы будете с каждым шагом становится все ближе и ближе к ней, а рядом с вами будут идти два главных персонажа книги - Антонио Гауди и любовь всей его жизни, прекрасная Барселона.
8 / 10
May 12, 2020
This was a difficult read for me and I had to put it down for a while and read something else. But I returned to it and slogged my way through it. It was not until page 186 that I really got into it and was able to follow the narrative flow.
Like the famous trencadís Modernist style that Gaudí fashioned, this book is really a collection of several pieces that abut and sometimes complement each other: a survey of Catalan culture and history (the best part, in my opinion); conceptualizations of Modernist and Catalanist architecture (very difficult for me because I am not familiar with architectural terminology and the author did not make effective use of pictures to complement the work he was describing); and a biography of Gaudí (segments interspersed throughout the book). The author admits that there is scant primary material to work from and the hermit-like lifestyle that Gaudí led makes it difficult to delve into his personal history.
For me the most difficult part of the book was the author's tendency to toss many names into the mix irrespective of how close or distant their relationship was to the architect. Often, the author only used first names and it was difficult to keep track of who was whom. It might have helped to have had a list of people involved in Gaudís life; van Hensbergen provides a chronology of Gaudís life, but it could have been expanded to include some names.
Two egregious errors appear and while the author can be forgiven for missing this detail, the editor cannot. Especially if the editor works at HarperCollins. On page 46 The author chronicles Gaudi's (born in 1852) military service, citing "his acceptance into the infantry reserves in February 1975." Gaudí would have been 125 years old. On page 53 he recounts the destruction of the Cistercian monastery Poblet in 1935, but on page 16 he wrote that it was ransacked during in 1835, during the Carlist Wars (1833-1830). There are some other minor grammatical missteps later in the book, but these faults are impossible to overlook or forgive.
I did not learn too much about Gaudí in the end. I have been to the Sagrada Familia and I have seen the Casa Milá, and I appreciated some of the context that Hensbergen provides behind these monumental works, but I just wish that it was more closely interwoven into the telling of Gaudí's life. It just seemed very disjointed to me. Park Güell is perhaps the ne plus ultra Gaudí symbol of Barcelona, yet, while we have a basic description of it, the only image we have of it is on the inside front and back covers of the books. How disappointing.
There are many other biographies on Gaudí and I will read them. This one would not at the top of my list.
I gave it a three-star rating instead of a two, because the author clearly did an immense amount of research and I respect that effort.
Like the famous trencadís Modernist style that Gaudí fashioned, this book is really a collection of several pieces that abut and sometimes complement each other: a survey of Catalan culture and history (the best part, in my opinion); conceptualizations of Modernist and Catalanist architecture (very difficult for me because I am not familiar with architectural terminology and the author did not make effective use of pictures to complement the work he was describing); and a biography of Gaudí (segments interspersed throughout the book). The author admits that there is scant primary material to work from and the hermit-like lifestyle that Gaudí led makes it difficult to delve into his personal history.
For me the most difficult part of the book was the author's tendency to toss many names into the mix irrespective of how close or distant their relationship was to the architect. Often, the author only used first names and it was difficult to keep track of who was whom. It might have helped to have had a list of people involved in Gaudís life; van Hensbergen provides a chronology of Gaudís life, but it could have been expanded to include some names.
Two egregious errors appear and while the author can be forgiven for missing this detail, the editor cannot. Especially if the editor works at HarperCollins. On page 46 The author chronicles Gaudi's (born in 1852) military service, citing "his acceptance into the infantry reserves in February 1975." Gaudí would have been 125 years old. On page 53 he recounts the destruction of the Cistercian monastery Poblet in 1935, but on page 16 he wrote that it was ransacked during in 1835, during the Carlist Wars (1833-1830). There are some other minor grammatical missteps later in the book, but these faults are impossible to overlook or forgive.
I did not learn too much about Gaudí in the end. I have been to the Sagrada Familia and I have seen the Casa Milá, and I appreciated some of the context that Hensbergen provides behind these monumental works, but I just wish that it was more closely interwoven into the telling of Gaudí's life. It just seemed very disjointed to me. Park Güell is perhaps the ne plus ultra Gaudí symbol of Barcelona, yet, while we have a basic description of it, the only image we have of it is on the inside front and back covers of the books. How disappointing.
There are many other biographies on Gaudí and I will read them. This one would not at the top of my list.
I gave it a three-star rating instead of a two, because the author clearly did an immense amount of research and I respect that effort.
October 4, 2016
Цю книжку описують як найкращу біографію Гауді. Я не можу порівняти з іншими, щоб сказати, чи вона насправді найкраща, але що я можу сказати напевно, це те, що це просто дуже цікава біографія! Завдяки цій книжці я взнала не лише багато нового про цього генія, але і про Барселону, історію Каталонії, каталонських модерністів, про письменників і митців. Те, що я читала цю книжку в Барселоні, стало великим плюсом: я ходила вулицями, про які я багато прочитала, Місто відкрилося для мене зовсім по-новому, здавалося, кожен ліхтарик до мене заговорив! Дуже раджу усім, хто цікавиться модернізмом. Поміж іншим ви дізнаєтеся, чому Пікассо і Гауді взаємно не любили одне одного і як це проявлялося:)
February 18, 2018
I dvě hvězdičky se mi zdají moc, ale dávám tři, protože kniha je pokus o životopis geniálního architekta, kterého si velice vážím. Zkrátka velmi nezajímavý životopis velmi zajímavého člověka. Díky poznámkovému aparátu jsem se přece jen něco dozvěděl. Ale to si umím dohledat přes internet i bez téhle knihy. Zklamání.
February 15, 2020
You need to a have an understanding of architectural styles and possess a deep knowledge of Catholicism to really appreciate this biography. I have neither, so it was a tough read for me. It did give me a broad feel for events leading up to the Spanish Civil War and insights into the man, so overall, it was a worthwhile read.
January 1, 2016
Fantastic to learn about the human behind the architecture! Reading this was a task though. Full of Catalan history and words which are difficult to process. Fascinating story about the architect Antoni Gaudi
June 20, 2018
I’ve toured many of his pieces. The tours provided more insight into the designs and their meaning. This book was more a historical account of Gaudi’ Barcelona. Not much text about the process or the inspiration.
August 9, 2025
This book did provide a really interesting look into Gaudi's life. It starts narrating his life from a young age, and I think it highlights what an interesting time in history Gaudi grew up in. Born in 1852, he was born well into the industrial revolution, and yet much of his life was clearly still linked to medieval times. The beginning portion of the book highlights how him and some friends would explore the ruins of Poblet, a medieval monestary in the Tarragona region of spain, nearby where Gaudi grew up. The book also mentions his love of and support for the renewal of medieval trade guilds, which likely was at least in part inspired by his family's tradition of ironworking. The book then details his school life, which was riddled with fights against teachers, with his graduation being crowned with a quote of "I don't know if we have awarded this degree to a madman or to a genius; only time will tell." from the director of the school of architecture. School was the first of many times Gaudi would clash with the architectural authorities, as many times his plans didn't exactly fit within the "legal requirements" - whatever that means. Another hallmark of the interesting period in which Gaudi lived is the fact that he was part of the first generation of architects to be able to truly use photographs to study architecture from around the world - something which clearly inspired the man to go on and incorporate many aspects of styles around the world to try and create something of his own. He designed all sorts of things - lampposts for the city of Barcelona, some decorative pieces of the first movie theatre in the city, private apartments and plenty of commissions for the church, and developed his own style throughout, ultimately culminating in the Sagrada Familia. It would be impossible to talk about Gaudi without talking about his faith, which clearly inspired him in both his work and personal life. In many ways, he's been thought of as the perfect Catholic - incredibly devoted to his faith, he lived incredibly poorly and did his best to serve others. Gaudi had a very tough life, lots of those close to him died, he lived during a very turbulent time in Spanish history, including Tragic Week, where rioters in Barcelona took down many religious institutions they viewed as paralytic, and providing no value to the common working man. Luckily the Sagrada Familia was spared.
Overall, this book does a solid job of walking you through Gaudi's life, and helping you understand how and why he became the man he was. It has lots of great quotes from people that knew him well, and gives solid insight into his process and mind. I think the book suffers at times from focusing on and naming lots of "side characters" (as if they're fictional people), that, if I was more well versed in Catalan history I might know, but for me were a bit of a distraction, and caused some parts to really drag on. I did particularly appreciate the thought to include newspaper articles and other reactions from people at the time to his work, as well as what the more modern views on som of his buildings are. Although I did buy an accompanying book that had lots of images of his work, I wish this one included more. The descriptions of different aspects of the buildings are nice, but it's much nicer to actually see the work itself. Although I'm sure Gaudi would scoff at even that, and insist that his work was meant to be experienced in person. Looking back on my own trip to Barcelona years ago, I'm filled with a newfound respect and awe for his work. He was incredibly inspired by nature, and always willing to change his plan - much to the chagrin of the city planning board, which I think are two of the things I'll take with me from his life. He emphasized a strong connection with nature and the world around him in his life, taking daily walks to see the sunset in Barcelona and go to confession, he was always wandering the city to take in it's architecture and surroundings, even as he himself began to shift and change that very atmosphere.
Overall, this book does a solid job of walking you through Gaudi's life, and helping you understand how and why he became the man he was. It has lots of great quotes from people that knew him well, and gives solid insight into his process and mind. I think the book suffers at times from focusing on and naming lots of "side characters" (as if they're fictional people), that, if I was more well versed in Catalan history I might know, but for me were a bit of a distraction, and caused some parts to really drag on. I did particularly appreciate the thought to include newspaper articles and other reactions from people at the time to his work, as well as what the more modern views on som of his buildings are. Although I did buy an accompanying book that had lots of images of his work, I wish this one included more. The descriptions of different aspects of the buildings are nice, but it's much nicer to actually see the work itself. Although I'm sure Gaudi would scoff at even that, and insist that his work was meant to be experienced in person. Looking back on my own trip to Barcelona years ago, I'm filled with a newfound respect and awe for his work. He was incredibly inspired by nature, and always willing to change his plan - much to the chagrin of the city planning board, which I think are two of the things I'll take with me from his life. He emphasized a strong connection with nature and the world around him in his life, taking daily walks to see the sunset in Barcelona and go to confession, he was always wandering the city to take in it's architecture and surroundings, even as he himself began to shift and change that very atmosphere.
February 28, 2018
This is a review of the two perfect books to read before you travel to Barcelona to see Gaudi:
Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect, by Juan Bassegoda Nonell https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and
Gaudi: A Biography, by Gijs van Hensbergen.
I approached both books with two questions in mind. 1) What about Gaudi's work could have drawn the love and admiration of the Japanese in the way it seems to do. At first glance the two traditions seem to have little in common--and yet in Japan there has been a tremendous Gaudi boom (I first learned of his greatness only in Japan, and there is probably a lot more information on him in Japanese than in English). And 2) Which are the absolute must-sees for an upcoming trip.
Both books get a 5/5 for excellent writing (I own all of van Hensbergen's work) and Bassegoda's writing is absolutely inspired. Photography is also stunning.
So, why the Japanese? Asymmetry and a love of curved lines; as well as art inspired by the natural forms found in nature is the easy answer. "God is found in nature" was given in one Japanese text... the sublime is found in nature. I also think the idea of modeling might resonate with Japanese aesthetics. Gaudi did not like to work from drawings and relied much more on modeling than many other traditions. He did draw and was a brilliant draftsman but Bassegoda stresses the three dimensional focus in his prep work. Japanese architecture also tends toward a resistance to straight geometric lines and angles. Nature based and following the laws of gravity; think of all the rope with bags of metal he used to derive his famous arches--this is maybe different from mathematically derived angles and arches we are used to.
Another surprising link is John Ruskin, William Morris and the arts and crafts movement.
This is something I would never have guessed as inspiring Gaudi--but it seems that, other than Catalunya itself this was one of his major influences. And of course, the arts and crafts movement was hugely important in Japan. This means: beauty follows form. A pursuit of abstract beauty was never what Gaudi was trying to do and that is something both Ruskin and Morris especially would have applauded.
I wanted to learn more about Sotoo Etsuro, the Japanese sculptor who moved to Barcelona and became the official sculptor of La Sagrada Familia--but there was not a lot of information about him in this book. Luckily, van Hensbergen described Sotoo workquite a lot in his other book, dedicated to gaudi and the Sagrada. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
You can also learn about Sotoo in the movie, Sagrada: the Mystery of Creation. It is really moving, thanks in great part to the photography. According to Sotoo, it is impossible to understand Gaudi and the Sagrada Familia without understanding his faith. Van Hensbergen is really excellent in describing what a surprisingly pious man Gaudi was. This is something I would not have guessed given the exuberance of the buildings--which to me seem sexy and pagan and incredibly colorful. But I learned that this was a man whose Lenten fast nearly killed him, whose life revolved mainly around church and his work and who cared deeply for the poor. The man I imagined as a Picasso was not so at all... maybe he was a bit like Don Quixote?
2) So what are the must-sees?
In addition to Gaudi tour, we will see La Sagrada, Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, and Park Guell & Gaudi House (if we can manage would love to see Crypt and Palau Guell).
Antonio Gaudi: Master Architect, by Juan Bassegoda Nonell https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
and
Gaudi: A Biography, by Gijs van Hensbergen.
I approached both books with two questions in mind. 1) What about Gaudi's work could have drawn the love and admiration of the Japanese in the way it seems to do. At first glance the two traditions seem to have little in common--and yet in Japan there has been a tremendous Gaudi boom (I first learned of his greatness only in Japan, and there is probably a lot more information on him in Japanese than in English). And 2) Which are the absolute must-sees for an upcoming trip.
Both books get a 5/5 for excellent writing (I own all of van Hensbergen's work) and Bassegoda's writing is absolutely inspired. Photography is also stunning.
So, why the Japanese? Asymmetry and a love of curved lines; as well as art inspired by the natural forms found in nature is the easy answer. "God is found in nature" was given in one Japanese text... the sublime is found in nature. I also think the idea of modeling might resonate with Japanese aesthetics. Gaudi did not like to work from drawings and relied much more on modeling than many other traditions. He did draw and was a brilliant draftsman but Bassegoda stresses the three dimensional focus in his prep work. Japanese architecture also tends toward a resistance to straight geometric lines and angles. Nature based and following the laws of gravity; think of all the rope with bags of metal he used to derive his famous arches--this is maybe different from mathematically derived angles and arches we are used to.
Another surprising link is John Ruskin, William Morris and the arts and crafts movement.
This is something I would never have guessed as inspiring Gaudi--but it seems that, other than Catalunya itself this was one of his major influences. And of course, the arts and crafts movement was hugely important in Japan. This means: beauty follows form. A pursuit of abstract beauty was never what Gaudi was trying to do and that is something both Ruskin and Morris especially would have applauded.
I wanted to learn more about Sotoo Etsuro, the Japanese sculptor who moved to Barcelona and became the official sculptor of La Sagrada Familia--but there was not a lot of information about him in this book. Luckily, van Hensbergen described Sotoo workquite a lot in his other book, dedicated to gaudi and the Sagrada. https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/3...
You can also learn about Sotoo in the movie, Sagrada: the Mystery of Creation. It is really moving, thanks in great part to the photography. According to Sotoo, it is impossible to understand Gaudi and the Sagrada Familia without understanding his faith. Van Hensbergen is really excellent in describing what a surprisingly pious man Gaudi was. This is something I would not have guessed given the exuberance of the buildings--which to me seem sexy and pagan and incredibly colorful. But I learned that this was a man whose Lenten fast nearly killed him, whose life revolved mainly around church and his work and who cared deeply for the poor. The man I imagined as a Picasso was not so at all... maybe he was a bit like Don Quixote?
2) So what are the must-sees?
In addition to Gaudi tour, we will see La Sagrada, Casa Mila, Casa Batllo, and Park Guell & Gaudi House (if we can manage would love to see Crypt and Palau Guell).
August 9, 2025
3/5
Chwyciłem ten tytuł z uwagi na to, że leżał już długo na półce oraz z uwagi na zbliżającą się wycieczkę do Katalonii. Miałem nadzieję, że dostanę pełen portret artysty, architekta i człowieka.
W mojej opinii mogło być dużo lepiej. Rozumiem, że zachowało się mało materiałów na temat Gaudiego i jego prywatnego życia, ale czasami czułem że czytam trzeci raz te same opisy i stwierdzenia na jego temat.
Przeszkadzał mi brak zdjęć Artysty. Pierwsze pojawia się około 270 strony, mamy natomiast mnóstwo zdjęć innych osób i artystyczne ujęcie muszli, które mają przypominać bazylikę Sagrada Familia…
Mamy za to na początku opis najbardziej znanej fotografii Gaudiego, która NIGDY nie pojawia się w tej książce.
Dobrze byłoby też wyjaśnić kilka złożonych terminów architektonicznych, które pojawiają się w trakcie opisów niektórych budowli. Autor chyba myślał, że po książkę sięgną ludzie z podobnym poziomem znajomości tematu.
Bardzo nierówne są też rozdziały opisujące poszczególne projekty architekta. Jeden z bardziej znanych domów, jakie zaprojektował dostaje cztery strony a drugi podobnej rangi około dwudziestu.
Trochę jakby każdy rozdział pisany był przez innego autora.
Nie widzę też jak ta biografia miałaby być „dowcipna” co zapowiada opis na tylnej okładce.
Tak znany i genialny twórca jak Gaudi zasługuje na dużo lepszą biografię. Nie było najgorzej, ale kilka razy byłem poirytowany podczas czytania.
Chwyciłem ten tytuł z uwagi na to, że leżał już długo na półce oraz z uwagi na zbliżającą się wycieczkę do Katalonii. Miałem nadzieję, że dostanę pełen portret artysty, architekta i człowieka.
W mojej opinii mogło być dużo lepiej. Rozumiem, że zachowało się mało materiałów na temat Gaudiego i jego prywatnego życia, ale czasami czułem że czytam trzeci raz te same opisy i stwierdzenia na jego temat.
Przeszkadzał mi brak zdjęć Artysty. Pierwsze pojawia się około 270 strony, mamy natomiast mnóstwo zdjęć innych osób i artystyczne ujęcie muszli, które mają przypominać bazylikę Sagrada Familia…
Mamy za to na początku opis najbardziej znanej fotografii Gaudiego, która NIGDY nie pojawia się w tej książce.
Dobrze byłoby też wyjaśnić kilka złożonych terminów architektonicznych, które pojawiają się w trakcie opisów niektórych budowli. Autor chyba myślał, że po książkę sięgną ludzie z podobnym poziomem znajomości tematu.
Bardzo nierówne są też rozdziały opisujące poszczególne projekty architekta. Jeden z bardziej znanych domów, jakie zaprojektował dostaje cztery strony a drugi podobnej rangi około dwudziestu.
Trochę jakby każdy rozdział pisany był przez innego autora.
Nie widzę też jak ta biografia miałaby być „dowcipna” co zapowiada opis na tylnej okładce.
Tak znany i genialny twórca jak Gaudi zasługuje na dużo lepszą biografię. Nie było najgorzej, ale kilka razy byłem poirytowany podczas czytania.
January 17, 2026
I got this book gifted to me after a trip to Barcelona where we loved learning about the architecture and history of the area.
I was excited to read this book to learn more and found that it wasn't necessarily what I was thinking it would be. This book is incredibly well researched, following the journey throughout Gaudi's life, his work and his personal. However, it felt like you needed to know more about Spain, the locations, historical people, politics and religion around that time to fully get the most of the book.
Without knowing the background of the above, I felt I was reading a very good dissertation, but not something I was able to take much away from personally. There were some chapters I found fascinating and enjoyed reading and some, where it was heavily focused on the politics or religion of the time, where I struggled to stay connected.
This is definitely a great book for someone with that history and background to read! Just not necessarily for me.
I was excited to read this book to learn more and found that it wasn't necessarily what I was thinking it would be. This book is incredibly well researched, following the journey throughout Gaudi's life, his work and his personal. However, it felt like you needed to know more about Spain, the locations, historical people, politics and religion around that time to fully get the most of the book.
Without knowing the background of the above, I felt I was reading a very good dissertation, but not something I was able to take much away from personally. There were some chapters I found fascinating and enjoyed reading and some, where it was heavily focused on the politics or religion of the time, where I struggled to stay connected.
This is definitely a great book for someone with that history and background to read! Just not necessarily for me.
September 25, 2019
This biography sets out not to be a hagiography of the great Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí. Towards the end it does become a bit hagiographic: waxing eloquent on Sagrada Família’s expressive spirituality and framing Gaudí’s death almost as a near martyrdom. Otherwise, Hensbergen does a fabulous job tracing Gaudí’s life from it humble beginnings through to both its highs and lows. I was particularly impressed with how Hensbergen portrays the great architect as a human person blessed with great gifts and talent, and as one with its foibles and faults. It deserves better illustrations, and in colour, however. The black and white drawings in the text are wonderful and does a great job of the reader understanding how Gaudí was seen and understood by his contemporaries.
April 19, 2020
i don’t usually like biographies - apparently not enough biogs are about remarkable surrealist visions & railing against city councils when they f* up your elephant-foot column & eating lettuce dipped in milk with handfuls of nuts/seeds & molding serpentine benches to fit people & an impossible cathedral to fit heaven & of course gaudí was eccentric/arrogant/cantankerous (did you expect anything else?) “originality means going back to our origins,” insisted the guy who crafted a thin metal curtain from old textile-mill needles, made masterpieces from cracked pottery & designed a ceiling to look like a seabed. i felt at my most peaceful sitting in a screened porch & a rooftop he built, & having coffee early one morning looking up at that white plaster ceiling & suddenly seeing the sea.
August 1, 2020
If you don’t have an understanding of architectural styles and a knowledge of Catholicism, this book might be a hard one to read. I appreciated the information on events leading up to the Spanish Civil War and the historical moment Gaudi lived in.
I enjoyed the book, although it feels more like a history book than a biography, I wished the author had written much more about a great Catalan architect, a real genius of extravagant architecture. I traveled to Barcelona and finally got to enjoy all of Gaudi’s work I read about in this book and more. Highly recommend this book if you love architecture.
I enjoyed the book, although it feels more like a history book than a biography, I wished the author had written much more about a great Catalan architect, a real genius of extravagant architecture. I traveled to Barcelona and finally got to enjoy all of Gaudi’s work I read about in this book and more. Highly recommend this book if you love architecture.
February 15, 2025
o biografie, dar în egală măsură și o prezentare a principalelor opere arhitecturale ale lui Gaudi. dat fiind că autorul e profesor de arhitectură, unele pasaje sunt tehnice și puțin greoaie pentru cei neavizați. dar compensează prin episoadele biografice, interesante. nu e o biografie așa cum sunt scrise de obicei biografiile, dat fiind faptul că multe din documentele personale au fost distruse în timpul Războiului Civil Spaniol.
p.s. ediția de față are câteva pagini lipsă, nu din cele importante, dar totuși... lipsesc vreo 20. păcat, mai ales că editura are un anumit prestigiu și un portofoliu de cărți interesante.
p.s. ediția de față are câteva pagini lipsă, nu din cele importante, dar totuși... lipsesc vreo 20. păcat, mai ales că editura are un anumit prestigiu și un portofoliu de cărți interesante.
May 17, 2018
this book was truly amazing. it was meticulously researched and i kept catching myself wondering how long it took the author to gather and organize all the information in it. it was surprisingly unbiased as well. i know a lot abt gaudi's buildings from a technical standpoint from school, but i had been missing all of the context in which his work existed and was a product of. imo it's not even fair to call this a biography; it was like a history book. great job by hensbergen. this really set a new standard for me as far as biographies and memoirs go.
July 26, 2025
I read this entire book and feel like I learned nothing about Gaudí. Events in his life were alluded to in a sentence rather than being given the chapter they deserved. The space was taken up with descriptions of Cataluña and Catalán culture, which was not what the book purported to be about. People were mentioned by their last name only, with no prior mention of their whole name or who they were.
July 24, 2019
As I was reading the biography of the genius catalan architect I was overwhelmed the feeling, that he must be one of the ones whose art I just love but IRL I would have slap him in the face after 5 minutes. Very interesting to read how someone being a nationalist and bigoted catholic became the father one of of the most original architecture.
July 1, 2021
An authoritative Gaudí biography, carefully researched, a dense work filled with detailed information, fantastic quotes and pictoresque anecdotes about the Catalan genius. It is not an easy read, for the most part it reads as a history book. If you are interested in architecture and/or Catalan history this is a great volume.
November 4, 2021
Ensayo biográfico. El género literario permite tomarse ciertas libertades para interpretar ciertas actitudes interiores de Antonio Gaudí, y algunas veces esas interpretaciones se quedan en la superficialidad. El autor parece considerar, aunque parcialmente, la profunda fe católica de Gaudí. En ocasiones juzga a Gaudí a la luz de prejuicios.
August 21, 2018
Very, very interesting man. Somehow, I'd have given the book 5 stars if the book had had a bit more "aftermath" regarding the following the life of his works in the decades following his death, an explanation of who took up the continuation of his cathedral, for example.
January 4, 2023
A cheat as whilst I did read first half and last chapter I skipped the rest having got a bit bogged down in Gaudí. Preferred the short blue book - this had too much detail and endless characters for me. Some interesting/confusing contradictions between the two books but I guess it hardly matters.
June 6, 2023
"Auzul este simțul Credinței, iar Văzul este simțul Slavei, fiindcă Slava este viziunea lui Dumnezeu. Văzul este simțul luminii, al spațiului, al plasticității, iar viziunea este imensitatea spațiului; ea vede ceea ce este şi ceea ce nu este." Gaudi Sagrada Familia ilustra pe deplin această ambiție
Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews