This is Gaudí

by Mollie Claypool, Christina Christoforou (Illustrator)

Antoni Gaudí has a reputation as monastic, mad, and hermetic. But the architect of many of the buildings that define Barcelona's cityscape was no mad eccentric. He was a genius inspired by his faith in nature and the divine.

Picking up the same strands of eclecticism and art nouveau current in fin de siècle European architecture, he transformed them into an idiom unique to himself and Barcelona to create a series of buildings as revolutionary in their engineering as they were astonishing for their spaces.

For Gaudí his work was his life, and this book reveals the exuberant world and groundbreaking work of this unique figure in the history of modern architecture.

Genres: Art, Nonfiction, Biography, Architecture

80 pages, Hardcover

Published August 22, 2017

Reviews

[Maryna Ponomaryova · Rating 5 out of 5]

Після цієї книги захочеться в Барселону, навіть якщо ви там вже були. Захоплена Гауді, його візією і приголомшливими роботами, справжній геній архітектури.

[Marysya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Гауді геніальний, його творіння захоплюють своєю оригінальністю та сміливістю.
Барселону вартує відвідати передусім задля того, щоб побачити Гауді ❤️

[Am Y · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great book if you want to know more about the man behind Spain's famous Sagrada Familia. A relatively concise, easy and interesting read, peppered with illustrations and actual photos. Covers his entire life - from birth to death. Also talks about the future of Sagrada Familia.

[Iriska · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is nowhere near deep, neither about the life of Antoni Gaudí, nor the art movement he referred to. The information here is basic. After reading the book I googled to see more pictures of architecture, and I found out that free articles observed Gaudí’s artworks and presented the facts from the biography not worse than a book. What the book had and free articles on the internet did not, the pages are heavily illustrated by a talented Christina Christoforou. It was a pleasure to notice textures, small details in her architecture drawings, and it filled my soul with beauty. The book sparkled a desire to visit Barcelona, try urban sketching, and continue to dive in the topic of architecture.

[Олег · Rating 5 out of 5]

Цілий пласт каталонської та світової архітектури описано в цій книзі.Самий відомий та неоднозначний елемент цього пласту-Ґауді.Його життя та творчість розкрито тут.Як завжди,написано легко та цікаво.

[Pat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I think this book had a lot more information than I expected. The graphics were approachable and I learned some new things about Gaudi's life and times. Including that he and Picasso were contemporaries and did not appear to like each other. I felt the artistry of the graphics added to the book and its whimsical nature complemented the Architecture of this very creative man. Yet the writing was serious and covered a lot of ground without being overbearing. A delicate balance.

[Malcolm · Rating 4 out of 5]

It may be misleading to describe This is Gaudi as a biography. Its extensive drawings by Christina Christoforu and its full page photographs suggest a coffee table book yet it is a much smaller format. It might be best described as a work on Art History.
However, if you want to learn more about the life and work of Antoni Gaudi then this book is an excellent choice. At 80 pages it is not going to be a scholarly or deep analysis of the life of one of our unique architects but someone who knows about Sagrada Familia will learn more about its architect and his approach to architecture.
I still don't grasp John Ruskin's ideas about architecture (which inspired Gaudi) but I can see how Gaudi aimed to make his buildings seem part of the natural landscape.
Why he was so intensely religious is still a mystery but I can understand why Gaudi was a Catalan nationalist. What is so intriguing is how he reconciled his interest in co operatives and improving the conditions of the poor with the fact he made his money building expensive holiday homes for the wealthy industrialists of Barcelona.
Gaudi's involvement in the politics of his age were a revelation especially his mistreatment by the Spanish police and the political fallout this created.
This may be a brief account of Gaudi's life but it does give us a good explanation of his significance and an understanding of his complex personality.

[Servabo · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute book with many illustrations.

Antoni Gaudi produced one of the strangest and most unorthodox architectural legacies to be found in the modern period. At his graduation from the University of Barcelona's School of Architecture, the director explained 'Gentlemen, we are here today either in the presence of a genius or a madman!'.

After his death, Gaudi was classified for a time as an Iberian interpreter of Art Nouveau, but his techniques and methods for designing buildings have inspired generations of architects. More than any of his architectural contemporaries, his work continues to capture the public's imagination.

In his native Catalonia he is a great hero - a champion, promoter and saviour of the region's distinct culture. For the Catholic faithful he is 'God's architect', whose pious example has carried him along the path to sainthood. But at his core Gaudi held a deep love of the natural world and a desire to translate its basic principles into a magnificent and humane architecture.

[Jaymee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating introduction to Gaudi--the man and his works--that makes me want to visit all that he built. On 2026, the Sagrada Familia which he worked on for 40 years (until his death) will be completed. It was destroyed, rebuilt, studied, and a sort of code was "unlocked," giving the artists a clue to how he devised the construction. This book made me want to make a promise that I'll be in Barcelona on 2026 in time for the completion of his magnum opus, on the centenary of his death. The way they handled his life story was also very touching; his devoutness, loneliness, his passion for his buildings.

[Vanya Hrynkiv · Rating 4 out of 5]

Мені не подобається те як зроблена книжка, цей картон просто нищиться в процесі читання, а книжка коштує +- немало, було б краще навіть якби це була звичайна мʼяка палітурка. Сама книга цікава, коротка, те що треба для знайомства з митцем

[Murat Yeğin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gaudi ile ilgili yapılmış şahane bir kitap. İçerisinde yer alan illüstrasyonlar çok başarılı ve ayrıca Gaudi hakkında bilinen şeylere yeni eklemeler yapabilmeyi başarmış.

[Iñaki Busteros · Rating 5 out of 5]

La edición ideal para conocer un poco mas de la vida de Gaudí.

[Kerry Shoji · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was disappointed it was so brief on Gaudi, the man, his thoughts, and his philosophy. It focused primarily on his buildings. The illustrations by Christina Christoforou were delightful.

[Pınar Tınaztepe Kaya · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hep Kitap'ın "İşte Sanat" serisinin 17 kitabından biri olan bu kitap, en sevdim mimar olan Antonio Gaudí'ye ait. Eserleri ve hayatını zevkle okudum bu dahî mimarın.

[Beyza Nur · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beni Katalonya mimarisine hayran bırakan adam, kitap hakkında demek istediklerimi okuduğum zamanda güzel bir anı olarak bırakıyorum…

[Yulia · Rating 5 out of 5]

Так закортіло до Барселони 🌚

[Olya Cheryba · Rating 5 out of 5]

Обожнюю цю серію і дуже люблю архітектуру Гауді.
Захоплена. Рекомендую.

[Laura Rodríguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Es hermoso ver la biografía ilustrada de Gaudí, además de conocer a fondo datos de su vida y obra. Sensacional de leer, un abrazo al corazón arquitectónico.

[Joey · Rating 4 out of 5]

A rather comprehensive narrative about Gaudí whose works can be seen all over Barcelona. Although I had been to some of these places featured in the book, I didn't know much about them nor the man behind them. The narrative about Gaudi's life along with his work was detailed enough without being overwhelming. The illustrations also helped to soften the delivery of the content so that it's even palatable to those totally new to Gaudi. Perhaps the only grouses I have is firstly, the lack of more information about what led to the construction of Sagrada Familia and Gaudi's reasons for being so obsessed and focused on this single project. It might also be better to introduce his life in a chronological order rather than shuffle between different times.