23rd January - taking a moment just to stand and stare (Patreon)

In Barcelona working today. I walked past this tile work which I have always loved and took a moment to pause in my rush  just to stand and admire it. I also love the fact that the top of the columns are so different.  The craftperson was allowed to express themselves in way quite different to classical styles.  Aren't the carved flowers wonderful!

It’s on the front of the Casa Lléo i Morera on the Passeig de Gracia designed by one of my favourites the Catalan modernist, Lluís Domènech i Montaner. It’s now a posh designer goods shop.

Originally there were originally also some incredible sculptures in the ground floor by Eusebi Arnau - he was the  remarkable sculptor who I showed the work of when we went to Lloret de Mar, and was a go to collaborator with Domènech.

Sadly these sculptures were destroyed in 1943. The renowned cultural historian sadly Robert Hughes wrote in his famous book “Barcelona”: “These handbag makers tour out the whole street level facade, destroying its sculptures by Eusebi Arnau , along with all the decorative detail, and stuck in plate glass instead. No one who who cares for architecture should ever buy something from Loewe, on principle”.

I don’t know the ins and outs of this particular case and I am sure there are different views -  but in any case hopefully nowadays all buildings like this in Spain will be better preserved.  A lot of this remarkable Modernist period remains but a lot has been lost or ‘modernised’.