The transformative power of the decorative arts

Cover of the book Les arts aplicades a Barcelona by Francesc Fontbona

Forged iron, ceramics, wood, glass, pavement, coats of arms, clocks, bells… Art historian Francesc Fontbona edited Les arts aplicades a Barcelona (The Applied Arts in Barcelona), a collaborative book with the participation of some 12 other experts in the decorative arts as applied to construction. This work tries to provide the general public with a broad understanding of the contributions of the arts and the history of many of the elements currently to be found in the city.

Forged iron, ceramics, wood, glass, pavement, coats of arms, clocks, bells… These are all elements that grace buildings, giving a new appearance, new life and even a certain movement to the structure. They can easily be seen in Ciutat Vella, the old town of Sarrià, Gràcia, Horta-Guinardó and much of the Eixample. Like the architecture itself, they tell a story of the city, and we can use them to trace events or even a certain level of social and economic evolution.

Art historian Francesc Fontbona edited Les arts aplicades a Barcelona (The Applied Arts in Barcelona), a collaborative book with the participation of some 12 other experts in the decorative arts as applied to construction. This work tries to provide the general public with a broad understanding of the contributions of the arts and the history of many of the elements currently to be found in the city. “The idea is that anyone, not just experts, can get to know —for example— that the little mosaic pieces so often used in Modernisme were also used in the late Roman period. One example is a fourth-century piece kept in the Archaeology Museum of Catalonia”, Fontbona explains.

Nevertheless, if there’s a golden age for applied arts and the use of such elements on the façades and in the structures of buildings, it’s Modernisme. Without a sovereign power promoting refined, rich buildings as happened in other European cities, starting in the 18th century the newly formed bourgeoisie played this role in Barcelona. It’s not that there were no decorative elements before this period; they were used, but for more utilitarian purposes. Different materials have completely different shapes and expressions in different periods. This can be seen, for example, in the shift from forged medieval or Baroque grilles to the use of cast-iron in a Modernista house. The same happened with other construction materials such as wood or ceramics, initially used in roofing according to criteria of efficiency, and whose use evolved towards other, much more complex expressions: the chromatic combinations of the Baroque period or the flamboyant embriagamiento” —drunkenness— of Modernisme. This can also be seen in stone; Fontbona explains that the popular expression “de pedra picada” (having firm convictions, literally ‘of carved stone’) gave buildings special authenticity. “In truth, only certain areas were made of carved stone, such as corners or window and door frames, while the rest was often covered in mortar or other materials”, he adds. Artificial stone made it possible to imitate what once had to be done by artisans. “Systems of construction and decorative elements had to do with social class. Many buildings from the 18th and 19th century had a stone stairway for the owners and another, much simpler, entryway for tenants. The same thing happens with ceilings and finishes: the ones on the first floor —the ‘noble’ floor— were nobler than the ones on the upper floors”, he adds.

In one chapter of the book, architect and researcher Ramon Graus notes that the “casa d’escaleta” began to be used in 18th century, marking a radical departure from older houses with a single structural bay. This innovation included a central bay with stairs for individual access to each apartment (and a hierarchy of different ceiling heights), the substitution of pitched rooves by flat terrace rooves, and thin walls of modern ceramic brick instead of thick stone walls. Dubbed “Catalan construction”, this was a response to the increased demand for housing that went along with industrialization.

Iron and forged materials were used widely from the 13th century onward: window latches, knockers, medieval brackets… An abundance of grilles and other elements decorated churches, where they were often used to protect cult objects. In the book, art historian Lluïsa Amenós, an expert in the study of forged work and metals, notes the influence of French models on Catalan Baroque architecture and the new life it gave to the artisans of the industrial period and the explosion of Modernisme. Something similar happened with ceramics starting at the end of the 19th century, when their use expanded and became generalized in Modernista buildings, many of which have survived to the modern day: Sant Pau hospital by Lluís Domènech i Montaner, the recently-restored Casa Vicens by Antoni Gaudí, or Casa Amatller by Puig i Cadafalch.

This book delves into curiosities and stories about all manner of elements found in the city, such as clocks, coats of arms, bells, windows, wallpapers or gardens; a series of decorative arts that have certainly played a role in the construction of Barcelona.

Les arts aplicades a Barcelona
Coordinator: Francesc Fontbona
Editors: Barcelona City Council and Àmbit Serveis Editorials
272 pages
Barcelona, 2018

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